Integration of student research projects with faculty’s Invited Assistant Professor Antonio E. Morales-Pita International Studies Program

Structure of the presentation I - Theoretical foundations of the mutually beneficially joint research activity between faculty and students. Assumptions of the intertwining Advantages for faculty Advantages for students II - Practical experiences: A) Cuban sugar agric-industrial production ( ) B) Yucatan agricultural and agric-industrial production ( ) C) International Studies Program at DePaul University (2009 – ongoing) CONCLUSIONS

Theoretical foundations of the mutually beneficially joint research activity between faculty and students. Given the fact that, in a four-year university, a full-time instructor’s work content usually consists of teaching, doing research, and service to the University and the community, it is hard to do a good job in all three areas. This presentation will discuss the possibility of intertwining the teaching and research activities in a way to improve both the quality of both and the amount of finished research projects. The main experience of the author refers to applied research.

Assumptions of the intertwining The instructor should preferably have a solid research experience both as a research fellow and a leader of research teams. The instructor should prioritize learning outcomes and instill this approach into his/her students. The instructor should inspire students to develop love for research as a way to be better professionals, to pursue higher degrees, and to become future scientists. The instructor should be attentive and careful to the selection of the students, who should normally be at the top of the class and committed to the research work. Weekly or every other week, the instructor should allow time to train, support, and supervise students research projects. The selection of the topic, as well as the schedules to attempt and accomplish the research projects, should be done jointly by instructors and students.

Assumptions of the intertwining The best scenario for the joint research is that the project be included as part of the evaluation of a course. If during the course the research has been finished, the work could continue post-course in preparing articles for publication, or as a connection between undergraduate and graduate courses demanding the completion of theses. For exceptional students, the work could go beyond the master’s degree into a doctoral dissertation. The instructor should be attentive and careful to the selection of the students, who should normally be at the top of the class and committed to the research work.

Advantages for faculty 1) With students’ help, faculty could focus attention on more research projects, so he/she would be able to finish research projects in a shorter period and to increase the volume of his/her publications. 2) Faculty might include the results of the research into the syllabi of his/her courses, and, consequently, introduce practical experiences into the classroom. 3) Faculty could participate and present papers in faculty seminars related to research work with students. 4) Faculty may get a more comprehensive knowledge of students’ strengths and weaknesses in the teaching and research fields.

Advantages for students 1) They will get professional experience in their majors before finishing college. 2) They will be in a better position to apply the theoretical knowledge acquired in the classroom, and consequently will have a deeper knowledge of the subject matter. 3) They could have a more complete resume, with some pre-professional experience included. Letters of recommendation from professors, based on first-hand experience in the classroom and in the research field, may give them an edge to compete in the labor market place.

Interesting options in the faculty-student joint research In cases of exceptional more mature students (preferably seniors), the joint research work could include the following chain: Faculty – senior students – junior – freshmen and sophomores faculty Stud, 1 Stud 2Stud 2.l Stud 3 Stud 4 Stud Stud Stud 2.1.1

Practical experiences: Cuban sugar agric-industrial production ( ) Composition of the multi-disciplinary research team: 20 faculty members of different specializations. The faculty leader mentored some students directly in their bachelor’s theses, as well as the faculty members. Each faculty member was mentoring at least two students in their bachelor’s theses. During each of the ten years, the number of faculty members varied from 15 to 20. The total number of students per year fluctuated from 35 to 45.

Practical experiences: Cuban sugar agric-industrial production ( ) Most relevant practical results: The faculty leader could finish his doctorate degree (higher than PhD) in the former Soviet Union. Two faculty members could finish their dissertations and became PhD degree holders. All students finished their bachelor’s theses. Two books were published. The team published a minimum of ten papers per year in journals specialized in sugar agric-industrial production and economics. The faculty leader was chosen for five years as the coordinator of similar research teams corresponding to nine Cuban universities. The team was recipient to three awards for outstanding research work at the University of Havana and the Ministry of Higher Education in Cuba. The Ministry of Sugar and the Research Institute of the Ministry of Sugar sponsored ten research seminars every year, in which the research fellows of the year were recognized and prized. A solid academic relationship was officially established between the Ministry of Sugar and the College of Economics of the University of Havana.

Practical experiences: Yucatan sustainable agricultural and agric-industrial production ( ) ( ) One sustainable agriculture research team was created at the College of Economics of the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. The team was made of 8 students, 4 faculty members, as well as 2 specialists from the Agricultural Section of the Yucatan State Research Institute. ( ) One sustainable agric-industrial research team was created at the Merida’s Institute of Technology. The team was made of 30 graduate students, and 3 faculty members.

Practical experiences: Yucatan sustainable agricultural production ( ) Most relevant practical results: A solid academic relationship was officially established between the Yucatán State Department and the College of Economics of the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. Five students successfully defended their bachelors’ theses. Seven papers were published. Nine papers were presented in six scientific seminars.

Practical experiences: Yucatan sustainable agric-industrial production ( ) Most relevant practical results: The leader of the research team was recipient of the Catedra Patrimonial de Excelencia grant from CONACyT (the Mexican government institution in charge of scientific research). A solid academic relationship was officially established between the Merida’s Institute of Technology and associations of private producers of agric-industrial productions in Yucatán. Four graduate students successfully defended their masters’ theses, and 25 graduate students were being mentored at the time of the research team leader’s expedient and unexpected departure to the U.S. A book about methodology of applied research was published by the Merida’s Institute of Technology Press. Two book manuscripts were also finished. Eight papers were published at the Mexican Institutes of Technology of Merida and Chetumal. Nine papers were presented in five scientific seminars.

Practical experiences: International Studies Program at DePaul University In the period 1996 – 2008, the author was working as a full-time faculty at a junior college (St. Augustine) and adjunct faculty at Depaul University without any possibility of doing research work with students. As of the academic year the author was appointed as invited assistant professor of international studies, without any contract for research work with the following results: 5 published papers with students (one of them in an international journal with peer review) about the following topics: A) Impact of the American recession in the world economy (with 4 students) B) Main U.S.-China Economic Dilemmas (with 1 student) C) “Brazil’s Evolution: A Move to the Left 1997 – 2008 “(with 1 student) D)”The Latin America Left: Argentina” (with 1 student) E) “The Rise of Left-Wing Politics in Ecuador” (with 1 student)

Practical experiences: International Studies Program at DePaul University 3 presentations in two seminars. In the evaluation system of courses INT- 150, INT-301 and INT-405 the author includes students’ research works with at least 20% of the grade. During the 2010 winter quarter, the author chose three student papers from INT-405 and is finishing papers with their authors.

Conclusions The faculty-student joint research work is advantageous for both faculty and students, based on the author’s experience in Cuba, Mexico and the United States. To guarantee a consistent participation of students, it is recommended that the research work be derived from courses, whose requirements include research work. The students participating in this joint-research work should be at the top of the class and show a genuine commitment to learning and research. Faculty play a decisive role in fostering faculty-student research work.