Chemical Education Today edited by
Association Report: CUR
Kerry Karukstis
Getting Started in Research with Undergraduates
Harvey Mudd College Claremont, CA 91711
by Merlyn D. Schuh and Kerry K. Karukstis
Faculty across all disciplines are increasingly interested in pursuing collaborative research and scholarship with undergraduate students. However, even though faculty members generally earn a Ph.D. degree based on the successful completion of an intensive research project, many depart from graduate school insufficiently prepared to undertake and direct their own research with undergraduates. This is where membership in the Council on Undergraduate Research, CUR, can help. As a leading advocate and promoter of high-quality, collaborative undergraduate student–faculty research, CUR has numerous activities and programs designed specifically to help faculty establish their research program with undergraduates. Here we give an overview of CUR programs and upcoming events that focus on faculty development to foster research at predominantly undergraduate institutions (PUIs). “How To” Publications The CUR series of four “How to…” booklets are informative guides on various aspects of initiating and enhancing undergraduate research opportunities.1 How to Get Started in Research provides useful information about starting and obtaining support for an undergraduate research program. Topics include the philosophy and benefits of undergraduate research, the importance of prompt initiation of a research program, and advice on such activities as selecting appropriate research areas, writing research proposals, finding funding sources, and selecting undergraduate researchers. The most recent booklet, How to Mentor Undergraduate Researchers, describes all aspects of the mentoring process and applies to onand off-campus research experiences. It contrasts the expectations and rewards of the mentor with those of students. Although summer research experiences are emphasized, the booklet also describes the day-to-day mentoring of undergraduates during the academic year. Additional topics include developing student presentation skills, writing letters of recommendation for students, and handling special challenges such as group dynamics and differing levels of student ability. Conferences and Institutes CUR sponsors a biennial, national cross-discipline conference for faculty and administrators at which numerous workshops are presented that deal directly with issues of getting an undergraduate research program started. The next national conference, “Crossing Boundaries: Innovations in Undergraduate Research” will be held June 23–26, 2004 at the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse. An important feature of the conference will be opportunities to network with colleagues in one’s discipline at discipline-specific sessions and department open houses. Each year CUR sponsors institutes that enable individual faculty members and administrators from different academic institutions to focus on specific issues related to the research enterprise. Notable is the Proposal Writing Institute at which 322
Journal of Chemical Education
•
attendees work both one-on-one with a mentor and in groups to develop their proposal writing skills and then apply these principles to the preparation of their own proposal for submission to an external funding agency. The next Proposal Writing Institute will be hosted by East Tennessee State University, July 17–21, 2004. Members of CUR receive the CUR Quarterly that has timely articles about successful research programs at PUIs and information on new funding opportunities. Undergraduate Research Highlights, a new regular feature of CUR Quarterly under the editorship of Tom Wenzel, emphasizes the significance of undergraduate research by presenting abstracts of selected papers coauthored by undergraduates. The Institutional Research Highlights section was also recently added. It has articles on the institutionalization of research, enhancing institutional research culture, and preparation of successful grant proposals for the establishment of interdisciplinary and interinstitutional research. Many other CUR programs and services benefit faculty members getting started in research. For example, members of CUR are eligible to apply for summer research fellowships that provide student stipends and funds for supplies. CUR also sponsors a mentor service that matches a new faculty member with an experienced CUR member who has similar research interests. This service is especially valuable for new and experienced faculty in small departments or faculty with interdisciplinary research interests. CUR has also recently established several “affinity groups” to provide resources to members with specialized interests beyond our disciplinary structure. Current affinity groups focus on Arts and Humanities Issues, Biochemistry, Canadian Issues, College and University Administration Issues, Engineering, Environmental Research, Issues for Directors of Undergraduate Research Programs, and Research University Issues. More information about CUR programs and services is at http://www.cur.org/ (accessed Nov 2003). Note 1. The four booklets are: (a) How to Mentor Undergraduate Researchers, C. A. Merkel and S. M. Baker, 2002, $11; (b) How To Get A Tenure-Track Position At A Predominantly Undergraduate Institution, M. N. Bushey, D. E. Lycan, and P. E. Videtich, 2001, $12; (c) How To Develop and Administer Institutional Undergraduate Research Programs, T. F. Hakim, 2000, $12; (d) How To Get Started in Research, T. Goodwin and K. E. Hoagland, 1999, $6. Volume discounts are available for orders of more than 10 copies of a publication. Additional price and ordering information is available at http:// www.cur.org/Publications/Howtoseries.html (accessed Nov 2003).
Merlyn D. Schuh is in the Department of Chemistry, Davidson College, Davidson, NC 28035; meschuh@ davidson.edu; Kerry Karukstis is in the Department of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711; Kerry_
[email protected].
Vol. 81 No. 3 March 2004
•
www.JCE.DivCHED.org
