Transcript Slide 1

Undergraduate
Research
Design, Create, and
Discover
Dr. David Bahr,
Director, Undergraduate Research
University College
Professor, Mechanical and Materials
Engineering
Why undergraduate research matters
• Provide the “best
undergraduate experience at
a research university”
• A critical step in engaging
students
 Active learning in all majors
 Broad support from
students, faculty, alumni,
and employers
WSU has a long tradition of
excellence in research with students
• J.P. Hirth, Professor Emeritus,
Mechanical and Materials
Engineering
 National Academy of Engineering
 National Academy of Sciences
• John was a regular in advising
senior projects and teaching
undergraduate courses…
So what do we mean by
“undergraduate research” ?
• Design, Create, Discover
 Faculty supervision
 Research in labs
 Creative design
activities
 Scholarly studies
• Goes beyond the
classroom
 Active learning
 Not just lab coats
Not “mini” grad students
• Mentoring undergraduates
•
works most effectively
when it’s clear they are not
just part time versions of
graduate students.
Specific needs for
understanding the basis
for inquiry driven and
experiential learning.
Why do we (faculty) do this?
• Ask one another and you get some interesting
trends
 It’s the right thing to do
 Our undergraduates help me get research done
 Our undergraduates are better “hands on” than
some of our graduate students
 We use it for recruiting
 Builds our program’s
reputation
Why do you (students) want to do
this?
• Experience?
• Resume?
• Make a difference?
• Challenge?
• Future career options?
• Graduate school?
• Interaction with students?
• Travel and presentations?
• Meeting leaders in the field?
Research probably won’t help your
GPA
• Students with high GPAs
0.4
0.3
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 GPA at graduation
0.2
0.1
0
-0.1
-0.2
-0.3
-0.4
2.6
2.8
3
3.2
3.4
Incoming GPA
3.6
3.8
4
may see a slight drop by
graduation.
Similar results at JMU.
Not a problem, but be
aware
Research develops over time
Jon
Winterstein
2006 National Defense Science and
Engineering Graduate (NDSEG)
Fellowship
Marian
Kennedy
Freshman year:
Honors College, WSU REU program
Sophomore year: Study abroad in Wales,
REU at Dartmouth University
Junior year: Sandia National Lab intern
Currently:
Professor, Clemson University
REU in MSE at WSU
• Since 1999
• Over 100 students
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 40% women, 60% men
From 40 universities
40 peer reviewed
publications and
national presentations
11 faculty across
campus
Some WSU Summer Options
• Laboratory for Atmospheric
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Research (LAR)
Characterization of Advanced
Materials (MSE)
Smart Environments (EECS)
Multiscale Engineering (ME)
Chemistry
SURF (Pharmacy)
Center for Integrated
Biotechnology
Extreme Matter (Physics)
REU’s as a community of scholars
• Summer experiences where our own students
and those external to WSU participate in on
campus research
• We also send our students out to REU’s around
the country and world
 UREKA, REU International sites
• Foster a desire and dedication to creative and
discovery activities
• Working together to ensure disciplinary
excellence with cross cutting activities
A lot is going on today…
Nicole Kelln, BS Interior Design, WSU Spokane
2005 Grand Prize: National Sustainable Design Competition
sponsored by the
International Interior Design Association
University College
Activities & Initiatives
• Endowments for fellowships
 Make sure research isn’t a financial problem
• Early Undergraduate Research Opportunities
 Summer intensive program, plus AY mentoring
• UG Symposium
 Concurrent with Colleges, late March 2010
• Supporting students and faculty
Summer fellowships at WSU
• External financial to support researchers
across campus
• Auvil Foundation gift for broad based
undergraduate research
• Provide a base of support, supplement with
matching by field if needed
• When coupled with 5 REU sites, LAR, CIB,
SURF, and other existing activities, we had over
100 active students here this past summer
Links for on campus applications
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http://reu.mme.wsu.edu/
http://reu.eecs.wsu.edu/
http://www.physics.wsu.edu/reu.htm
http://lar.wsu.edu/research/opportunities.html
http://reu.chem.wsu.edu/home
http://www.pharmacy.wsu.edu/futurestudents/research.html#SURF
http://www.biotechnology.wsu.edu/training/summerfellowapp.html
• Summer support through Auvil grants: http://www.undergraduateresearch.wsu.edu
• And talk with advisors! Many have summer support available. Ask, but be prepared to
be serious, do your homework.
Early Undergraduate Research
Opportunities: CURE
• “Boot camp” funded by NSF as a new model for
getting earlier participation
• Dedicated to a research fundamentals course for
1 week for rising sophomores, followed by
mentoring during school year
• Mentoring and scholarship support for up to 20
students per year
• Increase retention, increase engagement
Tips for getting started
• Finding an advisor
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 Webpages, departments, centers, colleges, institutes….
 Acadmic journals, professional organizations
What do you want, what does the advisor want?
 Volunteer, individual credit, money, Honors, thesis
 Fame, fortune, and personal development
Opportunities to secure funding
It’s not your hobby, it’s mentoring, commitment,
partnership, and hard work
It takes time, do you have it?
Ask other students, clubs and organizations
DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
Finding REU programs off campus
• Over 100 schools have REU programs in the
summer, called REU Sites
• Usually paid $3500-$4500 per summer
• Many include housing and travel
• Deadlines usually in Feb. - March.
• http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm
What should be in statements of
purpose?
• Why you want to do research in general
• Why these projects? What’s interesting in them
to you?
• What’s your background (give context for why
you are interested).
• Do NOT cut and paste from their website, or give
generic platitudes about how wonderful they or
you are.
Letters of recommendation
• Faculty over Tas
• Ask EARLY!
• Provide a list of where you are looking, and what
is interesting at each place you are looking at.
National
laboratories
NIST is a bit trickier, you need to
apply through our grants office, and
this is coming up VERY soon!!!
http://www.surf.nist.gov/surf2.htm
NASA
• Many NASA labs have openings, most are due
Jan 31
• http://www.epo.usra.edu/usrp/
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http://research.nianet.org/larss
Department of Energy
• Look at the labs:
• Sandia National Laboratory
• Idaho National Laboratory
• Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
• Los Alamos National Laboratory
• Argonne National Laboratory
• Search for summer internships or jobs
Overseas examples
• Ireland: UREKA
 http://www.sfi.ie/content/content.asp?section_id=552&language_id=1
• Germany
 http://www.daad.de/rise/en/1.html (past deadline 09)
 http://www.exzellenz.rwth-aachen.de/go/id/sav/lang/en
Lists are updated at the WSU UGR site
• Opportunities are posted at
http://www.undergraduateresearch.wsu.edu
Where we excel
• Our strengths include our faculty - student
interactions
• Community base means strong school year and
summer basis for concentrated activities to
 Create
 Design
 Discover
• Helping you find the right fit
Visit: http://www.undergraduateresearch.wsu.edu