STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at MTSU STEPMT

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STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at MTSU
(STEPMT)

• STEPMT Internal Advisory Board Meeting
• July 25, 2006

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NSF STEP Overview

• STEP STEM Talent Expansion Program
• STEM Sci, Tech, Engr, Math
• Goals of NSF-STEP More STEM grads
• Characteristics
• Program is 5 years old
• Grants are for 5 years
• lt 2M based on size of university
• 12-15 funded/yr of 250 proposals

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MTSUs STEP Program (STEPMT)

• Co-PIs Bill Robertson (PHYS), Andri Friedli
  (CHEM), Ginger Rowell (MATH), Tom Cheatham
• Coordinator Brad Rudnik, brudnik_at_mtsu.edu
• Depts BIOL, CHEM, CSCI, ETIS, GEOL, MATH, PHYS
• 5 years (2004 - 2009), 1.7 M
• Goal Increase retention graduation of STEM
• How?
• Build STEM community through UG research
• Change curriculum to include more inquiry-based
• Partner w/ RCS, TLSAMP, area companies

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Curriculum Innovations

• Inquiry-based Learning in Key Lower Division
  Classes for Majors
• Biology, Chem, CSCI, ETIS, Geology, Math
• New Student Research Courses (cross-listed)
• Laboratory Internship Classes

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Laboratory Internship

• Proposed use Chemistrys model for teaching
  their students about being lab assistants
• Current Need to think of appropriate
  transitions for other disciplines
• Looking for ideas/volunteers
• Course reassigned time available

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Student Research Seminar Series

• Combines Research Community
• Weekly Lunchtime Talks Presented by Faculty and
  Students (Pizza)
• Examples
• Introduction to Research / Opportunities at MTSU
• Writing a Research Proposal / Making a Poster
• Research Case Studies Discipline Examples
• Student Research Stories (Panel)
• Summer Research Internships (Panel)

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Undergraduate Research Community

• Aim Create a community of undergraduate research
  students across the STEM disciplines.
• Why?
• Better connection to discipline
• Support structure/role models
• Interdisciplinary appreciation
• NSF Why? STEM student retention

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Undergraduate Research Community

• Academic Year Research Awards
• Administered through the Undergraduate Research
  Council
• Awards 1000 (500 for faculty mentor, 300 for
  supplies)
• Assistants 500
• Applications due in early fall and spring
  semesters (3 calls in 2 years)
• Spent 51,500 thus far

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Undergraduate Research Community

• Summer Research Teams (2005, 2006)
• Research projects designed and led by MTSU
  faculty members (5000 / 50K)
• 2 MTSU undergraduates (4000 / 3000 / 76 K)
• High school teacher and high school student
  (3500 /2000 / 35K / 26K)
• Social activities - lunches, poster sessions,
  tours

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Undergraduate Research Community

• Academic Year Social Engineering
• Undergraduate research student lunch seminars
  (200 students / 4 semesters)
• Undergraduate Scholars Day (60 students)
• Large cadre of undergraduate researchers (50
  students)

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Off-Campus Partnerships

• Academia (REUs)
• Government Labs
• Industry (STEP-IN)
• Public Schools (STEP-MTeams)

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Industry Partnerships (STEP-IN)

• Local industries / government
• Substantive 10 week summer research experience
• Paid 5000 (25 K)
• Well-Defined Expectations
• Learning Experience 2 mentors
• Evaluated Written evaluations, report

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High School Partners

• Local Rutherford County schools
• Lasting Impact High school teacher/student pair
• Substantive 200 hr commitment
• Team Effort Interaction within an MTSU team

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Challenges

• Administrative load for PIs and coordinator
• (average time is 42 - NSF)
• Increased admin services outside STEP
• Curriculum reform difficult and slow
• Trouble building interdisciplinary research
  community
• Industry partnerships difficult to form and to
  maintain

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Your Input/Help is Needed!

• 1. Support activities of faculty participants
• Inform campus of activities
• Use activities as examples of research in
  speeches
• 2. Improve the process for research stipends
• Closer coordination and improved communication
  with financial aid/business office
• Keep policies student-friendly

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Your Input/Help is Needed!

• 3. Third year review at NSF in spring 2007
• Assess impact, successes, and failures
• Propose improvements and changes
• 4. Plan for sustainability
• Support the Undergraduate Research Center
• Encourage curriculum reform for effective
  teaching
• Other?