New CISE REU PI Resources

Iowa State University, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

This award funds a new Directorate of Computer & Information Science & Engineering (CISE) special project at Iowa State University. The project provides resources and services to the community of new investigators organizing CISE Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites at their universities. The team at Iowa State will work with other experienced CISE REU Site leaders to create the REU PI Guide, a set of web-based resources to help new CISE REU Site researchers prepare and run and effective and efficient REU Sites. CISE REU Sites typically involve universities hosting a cohort of 8-10 undergraduate students from around the country for summer research in state-of-the art labs with faculty teams. REU Sites often target students who do not have such research opportunities available to them at their home institutions. This project will provide resources so that faculty can organize and run quality summer research experiences that will be of long-lasting benefit to undergraduates as they complete their degrees, pursue graduate school opportunities, or enter the computing workforce. The team will undertake a series of five activities to implement their vision: assess needs, collect and refine resources, create video overviews, create and refine the REU PI Guide website, and evaluate the impact. The project is led by a team that has significant experience in conducting a CISE REU Site as well as extensive interactions with the CISE REU Site PI community. The team also has the design expertise and evaluation expertise needed to fully implement the REU PI Guide vision. The team will consider all stakeholders including the faculty site leaders, the faculty project mentors, REU program coordinators, graduate student mentors, and the REU students and provide resources to meet all of their needs. The resource should enhance the quality of undergraduate research experiences which are valuable components in the of preparation of undergraduates to become the computing professionals needed in the future.