Mentored to Mastery: Using CUREs to Build Scientific Confidence and Independence in Undergraduate Exercise Science Researchers
Presentation Type
Tutorial Presentation
Abstract
Course Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are a high impact teaching practice in which students engage in mini-research projects guided by a faculty member within a course to answer an original research question with an unknown outcome. CUREs allow for more inclusive participation in undergraduate research while developing inquiry and analysis, collaboration, information literacy, and communication skills. CUREs enhance scientific confidence for students, especially in exercise science where science identity may be low. CUREs are also beneficial to faculty members. Faculty can integrate their teaching and scholarship as well as fine tune their mentoring skills during these experiences. CUREs help students build skill foundations which can be transferred to larger scale, independent undergraduate research projects. Participation in independent research is an opportunity for students to develop skills and abilities valued by employers and graduate and professional programs. This session is a panel discussion designed to introduce students and faculty to the concept of CUREs and highlight how students used their experiences in an Exercise Physiology lab-based CURE to successfully develop and launch independent undergraduate research projects. The panel will be led by a faculty mentor who will discuss the benefits, challenges, and general structure of CUREs as well as how they mentor independent student research. Four undergraduate exercise science students with different career paths and research projects will discuss their experiences with CUREs. Student panelists will discuss what they learned from doing a CURE and how their experiences helped shape their independent research. The students will share advice on facing challenges and working with faculty mentors. The discussion will include tips for students who have access to faculty mentors using CUREs and how students might encourage faculty who already mentor student researchers to use CUREs to help students better prepare for independent research.
Mentored to Mastery: Using CUREs to Build Scientific Confidence and Independence in Undergraduate Exercise Science Researchers
Course Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are a high impact teaching practice in which students engage in mini-research projects guided by a faculty member within a course to answer an original research question with an unknown outcome. CUREs allow for more inclusive participation in undergraduate research while developing inquiry and analysis, collaboration, information literacy, and communication skills. CUREs enhance scientific confidence for students, especially in exercise science where science identity may be low. CUREs are also beneficial to faculty members. Faculty can integrate their teaching and scholarship as well as fine tune their mentoring skills during these experiences. CUREs help students build skill foundations which can be transferred to larger scale, independent undergraduate research projects. Participation in independent research is an opportunity for students to develop skills and abilities valued by employers and graduate and professional programs. This session is a panel discussion designed to introduce students and faculty to the concept of CUREs and highlight how students used their experiences in an Exercise Physiology lab-based CURE to successfully develop and launch independent undergraduate research projects. The panel will be led by a faculty mentor who will discuss the benefits, challenges, and general structure of CUREs as well as how they mentor independent student research. Four undergraduate exercise science students with different career paths and research projects will discuss their experiences with CUREs. Student panelists will discuss what they learned from doing a CURE and how their experiences helped shape their independent research. The students will share advice on facing challenges and working with faculty mentors. The discussion will include tips for students who have access to faculty mentors using CUREs and how students might encourage faculty who already mentor student researchers to use CUREs to help students better prepare for independent research.