stepping up undergraduate research at mtsu (step mt )
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STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at MTSU (STEP MT ). CBAS Teaching & Learning Seminar February 15, 2005 Tom Cheatham, Andri Friedli, William Robertson, & Ginger Rowell. Presentation Overview. STEP MT Project Overview Curriculum Starting Research Explorations Early - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
STEPping Up STEPping Up Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research
at MTSU (STEPat MTSU (STEPMTMT))
CBAS Teaching & Learning SeminarFebruary 15, 2005
Tom Cheatham, Andri Friedli, William Robertson, & Ginger Rowell
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview STEPMT Project Overview Curriculum
– Starting Research Explorations Early
Undergraduate Research– Building an On-Campus Undergraduate
Research Community
Partnerships– Providing Off-Campus Research Opportunities
for Undergraduates
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
STEPSTEPMTMT Project Overview Project Overview
NSF STEP
STEPMT
STEPMT Team
How can you get involved?
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
NSF STEP ProgramNSF STEP ProgramSTEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP)
4th competition just completed (Feb 10)
Typically fund 12 of 250 proposals
Focus on recruiting & retention in STEM
Goals of NSF-STEP
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
NSF STEP GoalsNSF STEP Goals
Program Synopsis: The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
Talent Expansion Program (STEP) seeks to increase the number of students (U.S. citizens or permanent residents) receiving associate or baccalaureate degrees in established or emerging fields within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Type 1 proposals are solicited that provide for full implementation efforts at academic institutions. Type 2 proposals are solicited that support educational research projects on associate or baccalaureate degree attainment in STEM.
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
NSF Program OfficersNSF Program OfficersCognizant Program Officers:
Susan H. Hixson, Lead Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-4623, fax: (703) 292-9015, email: [email protected]
John R. Haddock, Co-Lead Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-8670, email: [email protected]
Terry S. Woodin, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 907 N, telephone: (703) 292-8697, fax: (703) 292-9048, email: [email protected]
Lee L. Zia, Program Director, Directorate for Education & Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education, 835 N, telephone: (703) 292-5140, fax: (703) 292-9046, email: [email protected]
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
STEPSTEPMTMT
5 year $1.7 M BIOL, CHEM, CSCI, ETIS, GEOL, MATH, PHYS Mostly retention via
– Curriculum innovation
– Creation of research community
– On campus and off campus research activities
Recruitment through experiences for HS students and teachers
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
STEPSTEPMTMT Team Team
Tom Cheatham, CBAS, Co-PI Bill Robertson, PHYS, Co-PI Andrienne Friedli, CHEM, Co-PI Ginger Rowell, MATH, Co-PI Brad Rundik, CSCI, Coordinator
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
How Can You Get Involved ?How Can You Get Involved ?
Develop or apply inquiry-based learning Mentor undergraduate in academic year research Mentor undergraduate in summer research Mentor undergraduate in summer research in
industry Participate in Teaching/Learning Seminar Encourage students to attend Wed 12:30 … Encourage undergraduates to participate in
REUs and research in industry
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Curriculum InnovationsCurriculum Innovations
Inquiry-based Learning in Key Lower Division Classes
Student Research Classes
Laboratory Internship Class
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Inquiry-based LearningInquiry-based Learning
Inquiry-based
Guided Discovery
Discovery Learning
Research-driven
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Inquiry-based LearningInquiry-based Learning
Inquiry-based
Guided Discovery
Discovery Learning
Research-driven
Students Engaged
Active Participants
Problem Solvers
Thought Provoking
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Inquiry-based LearningInquiry-based Learning
Physics: a model for reaching lower division students
Proposed Explorations: Two course sequence in – BIOL, CHEM, CSCI– ETIS, GEOL, MATH
First courses started mostly Spring 2005
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Student Research Classes Student Research Classes
Course Credit for students conducting undergraduate research
Course Credit for students learning about the processes involved in undergraduate research
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Student Research Classes Student Research Classes
Undergraduate Research Course– Students conducting research– Working with a mentor– Already exists in many departments
• BIOL, CHEM, PHYS
– Hoping to extend to other departments• Proposal: cross-listed UR course
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Student Research ClassesStudent Research Classes
Course credit for students learning about the process of research – Physics has a model– Do others have something similar ?– 1 hour pass/fail credit ?– What would you do for second year ?
Part of building a undergraduate research community
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Student Weekly Seminar SeriesStudent Weekly Seminar Series
Wednesday 12:30-11:45
KOM 122 FREE PIZZA
Great Talks! Community!
Please help us spread the word.
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Laboratory InternshipLaboratory Internship
Proposed: use Chemistry’s model for teaching their students about being lab assistants
Need to think of the appropriate transitions for other disciplines
Looking for volunteers – Course reassigned time available
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Undergraduate Research CommunityUndergraduate 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
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Undergraduate Research CommunityUndergraduate Research Community
How do we get more students involved in research?– Pay them– Offer more research opportunities – Help them find faculty mentors– Teach them to compete for funds and
external research opportunities
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Undergraduate Research CommunityUndergraduate Research Community
Academic year research awards– Administered through the
Undergraduate Research Council– Awards $1000 (+$500 for faculty mentor)
• Plus supply funds up to $300
– Assistants $500– Applications due in mid-Fall semester
(perhaps earlier next year)
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Undergraduate Research CommunityUndergraduate Research Community
$500 is not much but… $500=
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Undergraduate Research CommunityUndergraduate Research Community
Summer Research Teams– Research project designed and led by
MTSU faculty member ($5000)– 2 MTSU undergraduates ($4000/$3000)– High school teacher and high school
student. ($3500/$2000)– Everybody gets paid!
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Undergraduate Research CommunityUndergraduate Research Community
Social engineering– Undergraduate research student lunch
seminars (Wed. 12:40 pm KOM 123)– Undergraduate Research Symposium
(April 15th)– Summer social program TBD– Ideas???
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Off-Campus PartnershipsOff-Campus Partnerships
Academia (REU’s)
Government Industry (STEP-IN)
Public Schools (STEP-MTeams)
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Off-Campus REUsOff-Campus REUs
NSF-REU programs
NASA Jet Propulsion Labs
National LaboratoriesOak Ridge
Other Max Planck Institute, CRNS
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Industry Partnerships (STEP-IN)Industry Partnerships (STEP-IN)
Local industries / governmentSubstantive: 10 week summer
research experiencePaid: $5000Well-Defined: ExpectationsLearning Experience: 2 mentorsEvaluated: Written evaluations, report
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
High School PartnersHigh School Partners
Local: Rutherford County schoolsLasting impact: High school
teacher/student pairSubstantive: 6 week commitmentTeam Effort: Interaction with an MTSU
team
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Closing ThoughtsClosing Thoughts
Research community = STEM retentionPay is importantFaculty participation is vital!Academic year and Summer research
teams
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Closing ThoughtsClosing Thoughts
Are YOU interested in – using discovery-based learning in class?
– helping develop a research course?
– improving laboratory instruction by students?
– …Please let us know ([email protected])
– We can help form connections
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Closing ThoughtsClosing Thoughts
STEP: Research early and often for undergraduates at MTSU
STEPMT: Builds a research community at MTSU for ugs and mentors
STEP-IN: Brings community research to MTSU
STEP-MTeams: Shares MTSU research with the community!
REUs: Sends MTSU students into the world
- STEPping Up Undergraduate Research at Middle Tennessee
www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt [email protected]
STEPMT
Closing ThoughtsClosing Thoughts
Check out the website
– www.mtsu.edu/~stepmt
Contact us