Pacific Rim Experiences for Undergraduates (PRIME):

A Model of Real World Engagement: Experiential Learning Within a Global Research Community

Peter Arzberger, Jim Galvin, Jason Haga, Tricia Taylor, Gabriele Wienhausen

26 January 2012Sixth College Experiential Learning Conference

Prime Skills for Students• Concepts and new developments in science and technology

82%• Teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate with others in diverse group settings

76%• The ability to apply knowledge and skills to real-world settings through internships or other

hands-on experiences73%

• The ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing73%

• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills73%

• Global issues and developments and their implications for the future72%

• The ability to locate, organize, and evaluate information from multiple sources70%

• The ability to be innovative and think creatively70%

• The ability to solve complex problems64%

• The ability to work with numbers and understand statistics60%

• The role of the United States in the world60%

• A sense of integrity and ethics56%

• Cultural values and traditions in America and other countries53%

 How Should Colleges Prepare Students To Succeed in Today’s Global Economy?AAC&U/Peter D. Hart Research Associates Inc., 2006.

The Stakes are High“What nations don’t know can hurt them. The stakes involved in study abroad are that simple, that straightforward, and that important. … college graduates today must be internationally competent.” (Lincoln Report, 2005)

"Your pursuit of the biological and behavioral sciences should indeed improve the competitiveness of the United States. But, if you pursue international research experiences and opportunities, you will contribute substantially to your own development as scientists and that of the nation." (Dr. Cora Marrett, Deputy Director NSF, 2011)

Institute for International Education“Opening Minds to the World”

• Recent report 2011 on percentage of U.S. students abroad– Engineering:

• 10,554• 3.9% of total students abroad

– Math and CS: • 4,059• 1.5% of total students abroad

• Participation of students in study abroad (percent of total in U.S.)– Higher education: 1.4%– Undergrads: 9.5% – Undergrads pursuing degrees: 14.0%

Peace and prosperity around the world depend on increasing the capacity of people to think and

work on a global and intercultural basis.

Overview

• PRIME Model and Framework• Insights from Previous Students• Future• Challenges• Panel Discussion

Pacific Rim Experiences for Undergraduate (PRIME)

• Create globally minded STEM professionals• PRIME is an immersive, experiential global educational

experience (summer internship)• Students learn “how to learn” new skills applied to real

world problems, which are complex and require a team approach

• STEM curricula are packed, i.e. no time to engage in a significant international experience

• Acts as an interdisciplinary bridge with engineering and physical/life science and flexibly integrates into a STEM curriculum

PRIME Components

Campus Partners ContributionPRAGMA Pacific Rim Community: host students;

nurtures next generation

Faculty and Researchers Mentors students

International Center Cultural competency training

AIP Credit for project work

Sixth College Matches theme of practicum with PRIME

Calit2 and ORUs Provides research scientists

PRIME Model

Outcomes – ImpactShort Term Medium Term Long Term

OutputsActivities Participation

Inputs

Mentors (UCSD)

Mentors (International)

Technology

Staff/administration

Funding

Define research projects

Provide training to perform research

Provide exposure to new

culture

Provide professional development

Create/sustain collaborations

Undergraduate students (UCSD)

Undergraduate/Graduate

students (Host)

Globally aware

workforce

Student career choice

Sustainable program

Sustainable collaborations

Host-site researchers

Research experience

Publications

Software

Cultural awareness

PRIME Learning Goals and Outcomes• Goals

– Give students concepts and new developments in science and technology– Function effectively in multinational work environments– Assimilate comfortably into different world cultures and work environments– Recognize how discipline is practiced in an international context

• Outcomes– Improved research skills– New direction and skills for job/career path– New perspectives on U.S. society and culture and on the U.S. role in the world

• Soft Skills– Communication skills– Ability to be a team member and to take on leadership roles in a team– Critical thinking skills– Cross-cultural skills and perspectives– Tolerance for ambiguity, civic engagement– Self-confidence, independence, flexibility, being reflective– Self-knowledge, reevaluation of personal values

Host sites: Osaka U Doshisha U and NICT Japan; Monash, Australia; CNIC, China; USM, Malaysia

U Auckland, New Zealand; U Hyderabad India; NCHC and NCREE, NTU, TFRI Taiwan.

USMMalaysia

NCHCNCREE

NTUTFRI

Taiwan

Monash UAustralia

U AucklandNew Zealand

Source Cindy Zheng

PRIME Host and Mentor SitesResearch Apprenticeship; Cultural Experience

UCSDUSA

Osaka UNICT

DoshishaJapan

CNICChina

PRIME Data2004-2011

156 students (73 female)

Major NumberBioeng 52

CS, CSE, ECE 40

Aero, Mech, Struct, EngPhys 20

Bio 31

Other Science (CogSci, Chem) 11

Other (Vis Arts) 2

Total 156

Host NumberCNIC 16

Monash 37

NCHC 12

Osaka 31

USM 9

U Auckland 10

NTU 3

TFRI 3

Doshisha 10

NICT 7

Other 11

PRIME Interdisciplinary Research

• Structural biology• Bioengineering• Geoscience• Visualization• Earthquake engineering

• Environmental engineering• Visual arts• Cultural heritage• Computational chemistry• Computer science

"I've learned that the real world isn't divided into majors, and most work requires knowledge of many areas of science and engineering." Ranmali Perera, PRIME 2008

PRAGMA Collaborative Overviewgoc.pragma-grid.net/pragma-doc/overview/2011.pdf

Student Perspective

• Jade Kwan, PRIME 2009– NICT, Tokyo, Japan– Tokyo: Inspired and Shaped

• Brian Tsui, PRIME 2011– Osaka University, Osaka, Japan– A PRIME experience doing

research at Osaka University

PRIME Future• Sustainability

– Financial: PRIME program funding is ending– People: maintaining the mentor network– Development: expansion of program

• Assessment of program impact• Develop future leadership

– Students: identify components that need to be enhanced/added such as: communication, mentoring, team building

– Mentors: create professional development component for research scientists, post-docs, grad students acting as PRIME mentors

PRIME Challenges• Sustainability

– Financial: access and affordability for students (e.g. student fees)

– People: administration and mentors, UCSD endorsement/support

– Development: program diversity, scaling, and "freshness"• Assessment of impact

– Students– Mentors– Host site– Research programs

• Crossover between academic units (paradigm shift)

Sponsors

• National Science Foundation• UCSD: Fellowships, AIP,

International Center, Department of Bioengineering; Calit2

• NBCR via NIH award• GLEON via Gordon and Betty

Moore Foundation program • PRAGMA members • PRIME host sites (All, USM,NICT)

Panel Discussion

Peter Arzberger, Jim Galvin, Jason Haga, Tricia Taylor, Gabriele Wienhausen

Isabelle Fanchiu, Brian Tsui