Enhancing Access to STEM Careers by Facilitating Transitions from Course-based to Internship-based Undergraduate Research Experiences

该项目旨在通过探索一种新颖的方法来支持生物学本科生从基于课程的研究经历（CUREs）过渡到基于实习的研究经历，从而为国家利益服务。CUREs的优点是可以让许多学生参与本科生的研究。然而，在教师研究实验室的指导实习为学生提供了更多与科学界接触的机会。由于教师研究实验室的能力有限，基于实习的研究经验往往局限于少数关系良好的学生。该项目计划探索一种灵活的、两个学期的本科生研究体验，旨在提供一个包容性的、支持性的过渡到基于实习的研究，同时扩大教师研究实验室的能力，以提供高质量的、有指导的学生研究体验。该项目的目标是多管齐下的，项目活动将在加州州立大学北岭分校（西班牙裔服务机构）的背景下开展。首先，该项目将开发两个学期的课程，作为连接CUREs和生物学院实验室实习研究经验的桥梁。此外，该项目希望通过在课程中加入短期实习，将生物学本科生引入各种研究领域，并通过为从事实习研究经验的学生提供学分，为cure后提供补充指导。此外，该项目将对这种过渡性本科生研究经历进行系统评估，调查其对学生对研究和职业意向的看法的影响，并将其与标准cure的结果进行比较。这种完全沉浸式的研究体验是其他校园的一个潜在模式，可以提高生物系的能力，让更多的本科生参与到真实的研究体验中。该项目的评估结果有可能促进对策略的理解，从而提高学生对研究相关职业的兴趣和准备。NSF IUSE: EHR计划支持研究和开发项目，以提高所有学生STEM教育的有效性。通过参与学生学习轨道，该计划支持有前途的实践和工具的创建，探索和实施。该项目还得到了NSF IUSE: HSI计划的支持，该计划的目标是提高STEM本科教育的质量，提高攻读STEM副学士学位或学士学位的学生的招聘、保留和毕业率。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to serve the national interest by exploring a novel approach to supporting undergraduate biology students as they transition from course-based research experiences (CUREs) to internship-based research experiences. CUREs offer the advantage of involving many students in undergraduate research. However, mentored internships in faculty research laboratories provide more opportunities for students to engage with the scientific community. Since faculty research laboratories have limited capacity, internship-based research experiences are often constrained to small number of well-connected students. This project plans to explore a flexible, two-semester undergraduate research experience that aims to provide an inclusive, supportive transition to internship-based research while also expanding faculty research laboratory capacity to deliver high-quality, mentored student research experiences. The goals of this project are multi-pronged, and project activities will be developed in the context of California State University Northridge, a Hispanic Serving Institution. First, the project will develop 2-semester courses that serve as a bridge between CUREs and internship-based research experiences within biology faculty laboratories. Additionally, the project aspires to introduce undergraduate biology students to a variety of research areas by incorporating short internships within the courses, as well as provide post-CURE supplemental mentoring through academic credit for students engaged in internship-based research experiences. Further, the project will conduct systematic assessment of this transitional undergraduate research experience, investigating its impact on student perceptions of research and career intentions and comparing this to outcomes from standard CUREs. This fully immersive research experience is a potential model for other campuses to increase the capacity of biology departments to involve more undergraduates in authentic research experiences. The assessment outcomes from the project have the potential to advance understanding of strategies that enhance student interest in and preparation for research-related careers. The NSF IUSE: EHR Program supports research and development projects to improve the effectiveness of STEM education for all students. Through the Engaged Student Learning track, the program supports the creation, exploration, and implementation of promising practices and tools. This project is also supported by the NSF IUSE: HSI program, which has the goals of enhancing the quality of undergraduate STEM education, and increasing the recruitment, retention, and graduation rates of students pursuing associate’s or baccalaureate degrees in STEM.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.