REU Site: Multidisciplinary Data Integration Training for Globally Engaged Undergraduates

Western Washington University, Bellingham WA

Investigators

Abstract

This project is funded from the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the SBE Directorate. As such, it has both scientific and societal benefits, and it integrates research and education. This REU Site award to Western Washington University will support the training of 30 students over a 17-week program during the three years of program duration. Students will learn advanced statistical and demographic training in the social sciences, and apply their training to original research projects generated in collaboration with the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda. The REU program provides an experience to undergraduate students that is typically not available to them at their home institutions. Students from primarily undergraduate colleges and universities and from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. The primary objective is to train social science undergraduates in research methodology in a cross-cultural and multi-disciplinary learning environment. This REU site helps social science students learn the basic concepts of good science, develop data management skills, collect original data, reach independent conclusions, mentor subsequent cohorts, and share their findings and data with professional audiences that could benefit from student research. This REU also provides a unique opportunity to contribute research findings to a nation's larger focus on health, capacity building, and economic advancement. Students work with the PIs, Rwandan colleagues, and the NISR staff to create and administer qualitative field interviews with stakeholders responsible for reproductive health. The research question to examine is whether there is variation in identified needs based on gender, age, region, education, and family status. Students also utilize existing quantitative data collected by the NISR staff in Kigali and learn how to document data in compliance with international standards. Student research contributes to studies on the differences in change in reproductive health indicators by region, urban/rural residence, education, and wealth. The REU Site participants explore additional questions utilizing NISR data, with a particular focus on child health and nutrition. The NSF Office of International Science and Engineering has co-funded this project.