Frontiers and Challenges in Undergraduate Research

Academic investigation lives, by definition, on the frontiers of knowledge.  New information and advances in technology change our research questions and methods; new theoretical perspectives challenge our assumptions; increased interdisciplinary collaboration brings us new partners and opens new avenues of study; and new political and pedagogical contexts demand that we offer expanded research opportunities to more of our students.  And yet, with all that is new, we have many of the same old devils on our tail:  time, money, institutional politics, student preparedness.  The theme of this conference is the exploration of current conditions and future possibilities in undergraduate research, but we invite all of the presenters to be explicit about the ways that they encounter and address the real logistical challenges entailed in their projects.

A list of the sub-themes and a brief description of each follows below:

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship in Arts and Humanities

·         Disciplinary definitions of “research” and “scholarship” that include creative production

·         Methods of including undergraduates as partners in our own professional research

·         Models of independent, student-driven research

·         The value of an “inquiry-driven pedagogy” in the arts and humanities

Offering strong research opportunities to students in the humanities and in the fine and performing arts requires us to think in new ways about the definitions and goals of “research” and “scholarship.”  What are some of the ways in which our own professional research can include undergraduates as full analytical partners?  Should we focus on student-generated work that, while not aimed at peer-reviewed publication, nonetheless represents an original investigation?  Or is it most important that we employ an “inquiry-driven pedagogy” that involves all students in creative exploration rather than passive receipt of knowledge? Sessions that address these questions, as well as presentations of specific projects that fall into any of the three categories, are welcome.

 Assessment of Research Outcomes

·         Formalizing goals and developing metrics for UGR projects and programs

·         Demonstration and evaluation of UGR outcomes – for student learning, faculty productivity, and organizational mission

·         Formative assessment models for programmatic change and growth

Assessment of undergraduate research has most often been defined as the post-hoc justification of a program or project: can we demonstrate that UGR has led to the outcomes that were predicted and promised?  This is crucial work in our time of budgetary constraints, but there is another (and less public) function of assessment, which is the evidence-driven guidance and modification of programs in process.  We invite papers that address definitions and assessment of strong outcomes, as well as papers that describe the use of intermediate investigations to tune the UGR process.  Please note that for this theme, we are inviting individual papers rather than whole sessions; the conference planning committee will review and combine presentations into thematic sessions.

Beyond the academy: Real-world applications of research results

·        Pros and cons of applied vs. fundamental research

·        Technology transfer and intellectual property issues for faculty

·        Undergrads in field-based research

·        Community based research and shaping public polic

Should faculty research be motivated by the quest for real-world applications, or is academia one of the few places where faculty can do work that would otherwise not be done, such as work that is fundamental in nature or controversial? Are there conflicts of interest and other ethical issues that must be considered?  And how do faculty members more effectively pursue real-world applications of their research results once they have made the decision to do so? Practical considerations and best practices in the transfer of knowledge and technology may be useful to many younger faculty members and those who are venturing into this area for the first time.  This session might also address how to involve undergraduates in field-based research while enhancing research productivity, what role community based research can play, and how research helps shape public policy.

Early involvement in research

·        Research activities in lower division courses

·        Research with students in their first two years

·        Peer training in research groups

·        Research at 2-year institutions

Involvement in research often sparks student interest in pursuing further academic inquiry and/or a career in the discipline. If research opportunities are not available until the junior or senior level, we may be missing the opportunity to spark their interest early on. In order for students to be prepared to make substantive contributions to research, they need preparation at an early stage in their academic career. It is also be important to foster inquiry-based learning at two-year institutions to prepare those students who plan to transfer. 

Research in a Global environment

·        Global problems such as climate change, water quality

·        Integration of UGR with study abroad

There are many global, interdisciplinary research topics that interest a wide variety of scholars, such as climate change and water quality.  Sessions that examine such topics in the context of the global environment are encouraged.  In order to better prepare our students to help tackle some of these problems, as undergraduates and eventually as leaders, the integration of undergraduate research with study abroad may be an important tool.  We anticipate that innovative approaches in this category will appeal to many CUR members. 

Undergraduate research in the interface of disciplines

·        Emerging science fields and technologies

·        Establishing in-house and off-campus partnerships and scientific networks

·        Identifying appropriate funding sources to establish interdisciplinary research programs

·        Using high-technology research tools (including remote access to off-campus instrumentation and computer capabilities)

·        Obtaining administrative support for interdisciplinary activities in the research laboratory and the undergraduate curriculum

As research becomes more and more interdisciplinary, new emerging fields require the use of a number of skills and technological tools that go well beyond departmental boundaries. In order to maintain a competitive edge and to be able to appropriately educate a future workforce, faculty face a challenge that involves establishing and sustaining productive collaborative efforts. In these regards, we invite submissions that address starting in-house and off-campus partnerships and networks, and getting access to remote research capabilities. In addition, sustainable efforts need both external funding and institutional administrative support. Session proposals that identify appropriate funding sources and describe successful programs that have introduced interdisciplinary activities in research and in the classroom are also encouraged.