Chemical Education Today edited by
Association Report: CUR
Kerry Karukstis Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA 91711
Alliances to Promote Undergraduate Research by Kerry Karukstis
The programs and publications of the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) seek to disseminate information about the effectiveness of undergraduate faculty-student collaborative research. Indeed, undergraduate research has been propelled to national prominence as an effective educational strategy as a consequence of the many educational benefits gained by students, the professional merits accorded to faculty, the significant transformations of curricula and institutions that have transpired through student and faculty engagement, and the scientific contributions provided to the wider research community. Even with the enhanced appreciation for this pedagogy, the task of promoting the integration of research and education is a monumental one. In order to more effectively communicate the merit of this practice to a broad undergraduate community, CUR has undertaken a number of partnerships with other professional organizations that recognize the impact of undergraduate research on student learning, faculty professional development, and institutional achievement. A subset of CUR’s various collaborations and associations are highlighted here. Broadening Research Partnerships CUR recently was awarded a grant from the Advanced Technical Education Program (1) in the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education. This project, “Two-Year Technician Education and Transfer Programs: Tapping the Potential of Undergraduate Research”, represents a collaboration of CUR and the National Council of Instructional Administrators (NCIA), an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges, to enhance technician education and transfer programs with vibrant undergraduate research programs. The goals of this planning grant are to explore the current status of undergraduate research in two-year programs, identify potential partners, develop resources, and propose a plan for establishing new partnerships that will broaden the involvement of students in research. CUR and NCIA will conduct regional conversations to explore issues related to undergraduate research and define what resources and models are most appropriate and best suited to meet the needs of the faculty and students at two-year institutions. The initiative will also outline the issues that emerge from the regional conversations. Focusing on these issues, a publication will be developed that will include descriptions of existing undergraduate research programs at community colleges, an analysis of successful programs and challenges overcome, recommendations regarding the establishment of undergraduate research programs at community colleges in technician education and transfer programs, and a list of resources for undergraduate research at community colleges. CUR’s partnership with NCIA is essential to develop programs that will be successful within the wide range of two-year institutions, as a full understanding is needed of 384
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the current practices for engaging two-year college students in research and how curricula are structured to support or limit them. Engaging the two-year college and technician education community in the process of developing resources will ensure that their needs are met. Working with the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Grants Resource Center CUR and the Grants Resource Center (GRC) of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Grants Resource Center (AASCU) recently co-sponsored a web conference entitled Creating an Entrepreneurial Campus. Like CUR, the GRC aims to support faculty professional development. The motivation for this particular web conference theme stemmed from the realization that a healthy entrepreneurial environment on any campus requires several critical elements, including faculty development support, intellectual property administrative procedures, and student engagement incentives that promote (rather than inhibit) creativity. All of these topics coincide with the interests of the two organizations. The presentation was moderated by Nancy Hensel, Executive Officer of the Council on Undergraduate Research and Richard Dunfee, Director of the Grants Resource Center of AASCU. Speakers included Gina Betti, Associate Director, Collaborative for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Worcester Polytechnic Institute; Lee Torda, Director, Center for Undergraduate Research, Bridgewater State College; and Paul Zavracky, Dean, School of Technological Entrepreneurship, Northeastern University. Each speaker outlined campus policies and procedures required for entrepreneurial success and delineated those partnerships that promote the best interests of the campus and the community. The complexities associated with basic and applied research, product-to-market, and business outreach activities were also analyzed. The elements required for a successful program were reviewed for both the predominantly undergraduate institution and the research-intensive university. Each of the speaker’s presentations is available on the Conference Web site (2). Partnering with the American Chemical Society CUR held its 2006 Posters on the Hill event in conjunction with the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) presentation of the ACS Public Service Award to Representatives Frank Wolf (R-VA) and Ron Kind (D-WI) and NSF Director Arden Bement. With Posters on the Hill showcasing the research achievements of more than 60 undergraduate students from around the country, this occasion provided an excellent backdrop for ACS president Ann Nalley to make the award presentations. House Science Committee Chair
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Chemical Education Today
Association Report: CUR Sherwood Boehlert served as Master of Ceremonies for the event. In their award remarks, each of the policymakers noted the relevance of having students representing the future of U.S. innovation included in an event recognizing the policymakers’ work in support of U.S competitiveness. CUR and ACS plan to co-host these two events in 2007. Joint Sponsorship with the National Conference on Undergraduate Research CUR and the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) co-hosted a new institute entitled Initiating and Sustaining Undergraduate Research. Held on the campus of James Madison University, this institute aimed to provide new directors of undergraduate research programs the means to develop and effectively run their programs and to help seasoned directors disseminate best practices and further build and improve their programs. As CUR shares with faculty and institutions models of effective undergraduate research programs and NCUR promotes undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activity through an annual conference for students, the synergistic collaboration on this institute was an effective means of promoting undergraduate research for the two organizations. The program for the institute is designed to equip undergraduate research program directors with a “tool-kit” of essential items needed for running an undergraduate research center. CUR and NCUR will continue their joint sponsorship of this institute to be held on the campus of the University of Michigan–Ann Arbor on May 23–25, 2007. More information may be found on the CUR Web site (3). Collaborating with the Association of American Colleges and Universities The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) publishes a quarterly journal, Peer Review, that provides a briefing on emerging trends and key debates in undergraduate liberal education. The theme of the Winter 2006 issue of Peer Review was “Undergraduate Research: A Path
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to Engagement, Achievement, and Integration”, highlighting undergraduate programs that integrate students into the research community through mentored experiences across all disciplines. These programs aim to provide students with hands-on opportunities to participate in original research projects and to engage in creative activities and scholarship under the guidance of experienced faculty members. This edition of Peer Review was planned in cooperation with CUR, and all contributions to the issue were authored by CUR members. Tim Elgren, past president of CUR, and Nancy Hensel, Executive Officer of CUR, provided the issue’s analysis article to help frame the scope and contents of the issue. In particular, Elgren and Hensel articulated the key objectives of undergraduate research, outlined the various indicators of successful programs, and reviewed the powerful transformation of curricula and institutions that has accompanied the undergraduate research movement. Information on the contents of this issue may be found on the AACU Web site (4). Literature Cited 1. Advanced Technological Education (ATE), Program Solicitation NSF 07-530, http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07530/ nsf07530.htm (accessed Jan 2007). 2. Creating an Entrepreneurial Campus Web Conference, American Association of State Colleges and Universities’ Grants Resource Center, http://www.aascu.org/ofpopen/webcon/ (accessed Jan 2007). 3. CUR Institutes, Initiating and Sustaining Undergraduate Research Programs, Council on Undergraduate Research, http:// www.cur.org/institutes/isurp.html (accessed Jan 2007). 4. “Undergraduate Research”, Peer Review, Association of American Colleges and Universities, http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/ pr-wi06/index.cfm (accessed Jan 2007).
Kerry K. Karukstis is President-elect of CUR and is a member of the Department of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711;
[email protected].
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