Creating a Culture of Research:Exploring a partnership between the Office of Undergraduate Research and the Capstone Scholars Program at USC

Asheley Schryer, Office of Undergraduate ResearchNatalie Cruz, Capstone Scholars Program

David DeWeil, Capstone Scholars ProgramUniversity of South Carolina

Annual FYE, San Antonio, TXFebruary 2012

University of South Carolina

Public, Four-Year Research University Carnegie Classification “very high research

activity” 14 degree-granting colleges and schools

– More than 324 degree programs Enrollment: 29,334 (Columbia campus, fall

2010 *preliminary) Faculty: Approximately 1,560 (full-time,

Columbia, fall 2009) USC System

– 8 system campuses– More than 360 degree programs– Enrollment: More than 44,152 (all campuses, fall

2010 *preliminary)– Faculty: Approximately 2,132 (full-time, all

campuses, fall 2009)

Office of Undergraduate Research

Began in 2004 Organization Chart: Office of Research Assists students in 3 ways:

1. Finding a faculty mentor– One-on-one advising– Getting Started workshops

2. Providing funding opportunities– Magellan Scholar– Magellan Mini-Grant– Magellan Voyager

3. Showcasing opportunities– Discovery Day– Coming soon…online journal

Capstone Scholars Program

Two-year educational enrichment program

First-year students are invited to the program based on their academic qualifications

Over 500 students each fall semester – Over 50 different academic majors– Over 42 different home states

Actively engage in the activities sponsored by Capstone and its partnering offices– accrual system of points and subsequent

levels of recognition for participation

What is research?

Clip

asking questions and finding answers

A group of engineering students from Purdue University reported that its licking machine, modeled after a human tongue, took an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Twenty of the group's volunteers assumed the licking challenge-unassisted by machinery-and averaged 252 licks each to the center.

Fromwww.tootsie.com/gal_machine.php

Purdue University

A group of engineering students from Purdue University reported that its licking machine, modeled after a human tongue, took an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. Twenty of the group's volunteers assumed the licking challenge-unassisted by machinery-and averaged 252 licks each to the center.

Fromwww.tootsie.com/gal_machine.php

University of Michigan

Not to be outdone by a Big Ten rival, a chemical engineering doctorate student from the University of Michigan recorded that his customized licking machine required 411 licks to reach the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop. (411-364. Go Blue!)

From www.tootsie.com/gal_machine.php

Swarthmore Junior High School

Rejecting the notion that one needed active college status to undertake the Tootsie Pop licking challenge, a group of junior high students at Swarthmore School used human lickers, reporting an average of 144 licks to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop.

From www.tootsie.com/gal_machine.php

Smash the Beaker Perspective

Common misconceptions– Research is only for juniors and

seniors – You can only conduct research in

your major – You have to have your own

“earth shattering” idea to do a research project

– Research means LOTS of papers and writing

– Research is just for scientists – Research is only for honors

students

Money, fame, glory Experience Network Explore career/major Résumé builder

Benefits of Research

Research in the First-Year

Why research in the first year?– Builds a foundation of learning as inquiry– Creates opportunity for mentorship– Provides an opportunity for involvement in research as

an extended process– Promotes student engagement during a critical time

Discovery for Every Discipline

Current Literature There are a variety of factors that predict attrition (Tinto, 1993)

– Individual student– Social structures – Institutional structures

Faculty-student interaction outside of the classroom promotes persistence (Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005)– “Socialization of students to the normative values and attitudes of the

academy” (p. 417).– “Bond between student and institution that appears to be facilitated and

promoted by positive interaction with faculty member as well as peers” (p.417).

Discovery for Every Discipline

Levin & Levin (1991) show that contact with faculty should occur “early in the students’ careers in college, at a times when they are most likely to depart” (Nagda et al., 1998, p. 3).

Boyer Commission Report recommendations focus on building “foundations in the first year” (1998).– Research based learning as the standard– Inquiry based learning approach in the first year

NSSE data shows that “incoming first-year students expected to be more academically engaged in college than they were in their last year of high school” (2007).

Current Literature

Discovery for Every Discipline

Benefits of Research Opportunities– Students that conduct research with faculty “are more likely to

persist, gain more intellectually and personally, and choose a research related field as a career” (NSSE, 2007, p. 17).

– “Increase understanding, confidence, and awareness” (Russell, et. al., 2007, p. 548).

Note: NSSE also shows that students do not always have research opportunities

Current Literature

Discovery for Every Discipline

Best Practices

Living and Learning Communities Integration in to First-Year Seminar Introduction to Research Courses and Seminar Research Grant Funding Advising and Mentoring

Capstone Scholars Program

Dream Big! Impact the

Community and Leave a Legacy

The pillars of the program Academics,

Leadership, Social, and Service.

Living and Learning Communities

4 semester minimum requirements:1) Attendance of a Capstone Conversation, News &

Views, Global Perspectives, Spring Times, or other approved University event

2) Participate in a Community Service opportunity (no minimum hours)

3) Attend a Capstone Scholars Social Event4) Participate in a Personal Challenge

Living and Learning Communities Undergraduate Research (5 points)

– (5) points for applying and receiving the Magellan Apprentice, Magellan Scholars or a mini-grant

– (5) points for research done with faculty member in general

Discovery Day Presentation (5pts) Completion of the Discover Program course

(3pts)

Integration in to First-Year Seminar Tootsie Pop presentation required of all

Capstone sections– Magellan Ambassadors

(1) Capstone section taught by OUR staff– Research focus for final project

Research assignments incorporated into sections– Weingarth example

Encouraging Leadership Roles Resident Mentors Peer Mentors Magellan Ambassadors

– 5 of our 13 ambassadors are from the Capstone Scholars Program

Research Grant Funding Magellan Apprentice for Capstone Scholars

– $1000• Salary• Travel (limited)• Materials/Supplies

– Required workshops– Present at Discovery Day– Funds managed by Capstone

Introduction to Research Seminar and Workshops

Magellan Apprentice Workshops– Required– Communicating with your Faculty Mentor Writing Abstracts– Ethics in Research Discovery Day Poster Presentation – Discovery Day Student Panel

Discover Seminar– 8-week not-for-credit seminar– Finding your path in research– Connecting with faculty – Making the first impression – Developing meaningful relationships with faculty mentors– Issues related to intellectual property and copyright– Ethics in research – Getting the most out of research – Planning the next steps

Advising and Mentoring Find a mentor

– Fall workshops (on OUR website)

– Individual appointments

– Search faculty database

– Meet with Capstone staff

The Right to Research

Upon enrollment, students in the research university have the right to “opportunities to

interact with people of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences different from the student’s

own and pursuers of knowledge at every level of accomplishment from freshmen students to

senior research faculty” (1998, p. 13).

Photo Credits Show of hands picture

burneylawfirm.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/show-of-hands.png Beaker picture

themuppetmindset.blogspot.com

Contact us with any questions

Asheley Schryer, schryer@sc.eduNatalie Cruz, ncruz@sc.edu

David DeWeil, deweil@mailbox.sc.edu