Supporting Professional Development of Undergraduate Researchers

Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Crested Butte CO

Investigators

Abstract

A capable STEM (Science Technology Engineer and Math) workforce is critical to the nation’s ability to sustain the innovations that fuel economic growth and allow the country to maintain a high quality of life. Consequently, creating a diverse STEM-capable workforce is a strategic priority for NSF. Most students who start college with plans to obtain a STEM degree fail to finish, with students from disadvantaged backgrounds having particularly high attrition rates. Participation in undergraduate research, in part by improving the self-efficacy of students and leading to self-identification of students as scientists, has been shown to increase retention of students. When students of all backgrounds are reached, this has improved diversity in STEM careers. To further promote retention of diverse students in STEM careers this program will offer professional development opportunities, including support for cohorts of students to present results of their research at professional conferences. The proposed program will provide professional development opportunities for biology, computer science, ocean sciences and geology students conducting undergraduate research, targeting students of diverse backgrounds including from minority-serving institutions and participants in NSF’s Research Experience for Undergraduates program. Students who have identified a professional development opportunity (e.g., presenting results at a conference) will submit online applications which will be vetted to ensure students meet basic qualifications (e.g., have conducted high quality undergraduate research, are coordinating their research mentors) and to determine whether the experience will have a meaningful impact on their career development, including evaluating the extent to which students have had limited access to other professional development opportunities. Students will provide basic tracking data to allow assessment of the extent to which the program reaches diverse participants and to determine the impact of making presentations at professional societies. This award is supported by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) in the Directorate for Biosciences, the Division of Computer and Network Systems (CNS) in the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, and the Divisions of Ocean Sciences (OCE) and Earth Sciences (EAR) within the Directorate for Geosciences. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.