Research Experiences for Undergraduates: Multidisciplinary Research on Student Success in STEM at the Rochester Institute of Technology

这项授予罗切斯特理工学院的本科生研究经验(REU)现场奖将支持在三年内每年夏天对十名学生进行为期十周的培训。该项目将为大学生提供从事STEM教育研究的机会。STEM教育研究人员是科学领域的专家，他们结合科学学科的专长、教育和社会科学的研究方法，以及认知科学和神经科学的研究结果，在科学领域内调查有关本科生学习的问题。在这个项目中，大学生将参加指导性研究项目和专业发展活动，以提高他们对研究实践和技能、沟通以及未来职业选择的理解。这项研究的知识将被用于指导实践，以改善STEM的学习和包容。尽管STEM学位获得者的数量在不断增加，但究竟是谁获得了这些学位，存在着差距。该项目有可能在与STEM教育的多样性、公平性和包容性有关的问题上为该领域做出重要贡献。这个REU网站的首要目标是发展STEM教育研究人员社区，他们将实施实践，促进所有STEM学生的学习和成功。学生将参与尖端的STEM教育研究，这将有助于STEM学生的成功。项目团队将(1)在STEM社区招募和留住不同的本科生，(2)让本科生从事严格的、可发表的教育研究，(4)支持本科生发展专业技能并建立他们作为科学家的身份，(4)为本科生为STEM职业和STEM教育学博士项目做准备，以及(5)向未来的教育工作者介绍基于证据的教学、指导和评估实践。项目团队将从各种各样的机构中招募申请者，并挑选对教育研究充满热情并为STEM社区的多样性做出贡献的STEM专业的学生。项目成果和自我报告的调查数据将每年报告一次。REU参与者将在REU经历之后进行跟踪，以便跟踪学生的职业道路。项目参与者将获得包容性和循证战略的知识，以提高他们自己的专业、研究和网络技能。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site award to the Rochester Institute of Technology will support the training of ten students for ten weeks during each summer over three years. The project will provide an opportunity for college students to be engaged in STEM education research. STEM education researchers are experts in a scientific field who apply a combination of scientific disciplinary expertise, educational and social-science research methods, and findings from the cognitive and neurosciences to investigate questions about undergraduate learning within a scientific field. In this project, college students will take part in mentored research projects and participate in professional development activities to improve their understanding of research practices and skills, communication, and future career options. Knowledge from the research will be used to guide practices to improve STEM learning and inclusion. While the number of STEM degree earners is growing, there is a disparity among who, exactly, gets to earn those degrees. The project has potential to make a critical contribution to the field on issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM education. The overarching goal of this REU site is to grow the community of STEM education researchers who will implement practices that promote the learning and success of all STEM students. Students will participate in cutting edge STEM education research that will contribute to the field of STEM student success. The project team will (1) recruit and retain diverse undergraduate students in the STEM community, (2) engage undergraduates in rigorous, publishable education research, (4) support undergraduates to develop professional skills and build their identity as scientists, (4) prepare undergraduates for STEM careers and STEM Education Ph.D. programs, and (5) introduce future educators to evidence-based practices in teaching, mentoring, and assessment. The project team will recruit applicants from a wide variety of institutions and select STEM majors who are passionate about education research and who contribute to the diversity of the STEM community. Project outcomes and self-reported survey data will be reported annually. REU participants will be tracked after the REU experience in order to follow student career paths. Project participants will gain knowledge of inclusive and evidence-based strategies to improve their own professional, research, and networking skills.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.