Networking and Mentoring Travel Scholarship Program

University Of Massachusetts Boston, Dorchester MA

Investigators

Abstract

Networking and mentoring are critical to scientific training. This is particularly the case for undergraduate students. Undergraduate students participating in Research Experiences for Undergraduate (REU) programs are often able to present only to their REU peers or at their home institutions. Moreover, if they do present at a national/international meeting they often do so without the support of their REU mentor. To enable REU participants in Biology and Oceanography REU programs to present the results of their research and to enable REU mentors to attend these meetings and facilitate professional development of their REU student, we propose a Networking and Mentoring Travel Scholarship program that supports student-mentor teams to attend and present the REU student's research at a national/international meeting. Central to our efforts is longitudinal tracking of the scholarship awardees. Results from previous travel scholarships showed significant learning gains. Moreover the travel scholarship program supported a significant number of underrepresented minority students and students from primarily undergraduate institutions enabling them to attend scientific meetings and present their research thereby reinforcing the value of diversity in biological and ocean science research. To ensure that the Travel Scholarship program meets the goals of enhancing participation of undergraduate researchers at scientific meetings we will use the data collected to assess the impact of the program on the number of BIO and OCE REU students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to present their research. These data will enable us to evaluate the impact of the Travel Scholarship program, particularly the mentoring of students at meetings by their REU mentor, on the students as well as evaluate which programs/disciplines actively seek and participate in these opportunities. All data will be reported, in aggregate form, to the National Science Foundation in annual reports as well as disseminated in aggregate form to the BIO REU community through the website as well as at PI meetings. More information is available by contacting the PI, Dr. Robyn Hannigan at robyn.hannigan@umb.edu.