Undergraduate Research as Capstone: Marking Trends and Developing Strategies Henry Biggs, PhD Associate Dean and Director, Undergraduate Research Washington University in St Louis PEW Symposium: March 3-5,

Profile of Washington University Approx 5,000 Arts & Sciences Undergraduates Formation of Undergraduate Research Office –2005

Thumbnail of Research Activity: Defining the Data How is following data for “research” defined? –Independent Study, Independent Work –“Honors Research” –Course, with “Research” in the title, e.g., “Research Seminar”, “Introduction to Research”

Follow up Questions Nice trendline, but how advanced is the research being conducted? Who is doing it?

Notes Note that pie charts are cumulative from last 5 years; previous graphs are trendlines Heavy 500 Research, approx 50% Heavy Bio Research, also approx 50% Not surprisingly, highest cumulative enrollment is in Bio 500 Finally, what are summer research opps?

Summer Research Opps –Hoopes—new –Goldman—New –Beckman – HHMI –All REU’s Not Included, data pending, believe will be significant –Isolated Individual Scholarships from alumni

Strategies

WU STRATEGY 1: MAXIMIZE SUMMER RESEARCH OPPS –WHY? The most focused of all research opps available so best capstone experience; promotes rigor, self-efficacy

STRATEGY 2: OVERCOME/ATTACK STUDENT FEAR FACTOR Encouraging more students that they are worthy of participating in a lab and being part of a research experience. –Smoothing the channels Online access to opps Online access to appts Calls to students meeting criteria—”here’s your research opp”

STRATEGY 3: INCREASE FUNDING TO PROMOTE STRATEGY 1! Working with A & D to ask sponsors for single undergraduate summer research experience Grantwriting—focus on new UR Office as Collaborative hub

Why Research as Capstone? NSF notes benefits of research, but has it been tested and documented?

Effects of Types of Research Elizabeth Berkes, Washington University Students who participate in biology laboratory internships have a significantly higher self-efficacy score than students who have not interned in a biology laboratory. An increase in Biology Self-Efficacy has a significant positive impact on desire to persist in science. Early data suggests that simply working in a lab does not have such an effect—it is only the more involved lab research experience that promotes self-efficacy and improves persistence

Undergraduate Research as Capstone: Marking Trends and Developing Strategies Henry Biggs, PhD Associate Dean and Director, Undergraduate Research (Washington University in St Louis) PEW Symposium: March 3-5,