Workshop: URM Principal Investigators' Workshop: May 2011, Arlington, VA

University Of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia MO

Investigators

Abstract

This award will allow the University of Missouri to organize a workshop in May 2011 that focuses on increasing the effectiveness of undergraduate student training that will prepare students for a career in science, particularly those from underrepresented groups. The workshop will allow Principal Investigators (PIs) involved in the NSF-funded Undergraduate Research and Mentoring in Biological Sciences (URM) program to discuss important issues associated with undergraduate student training. The main goals of the workshop are (1) to share ideas for improving individual program implementation including ethics training, methods for student recruitment and retention, student development activities, preparation for graduate study, and mentor training; and (2) to discuss and identify best practices for assessing program success. These goals will be accomplished through presentations and panel discussions by experts and through opportunities for group discussion and networking among site directors. A final report will be submitted to NSF summarizing the workshop findings, which will also be disseminated to workshop participants. At the end of this project, it is expected that PIs of the URM program will be better equipped with knowledge on successful implementation of their program and best practices. This will have a direct impact on the quality of training that students will receive and a better way for PIs to measure program success.