Summer REU Program Integrating Deaf and Hearing Participants in

Jul 2, 2018 - Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs. Chapter 4, pp 45–57. DOI: 10.1021/bk-2018-1295.ch004. ACS Symposium Series , Vol. 1295...
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Chapter 4

Summer REU Program Integrating Deaf and Hearing Participants in Chemistry Research Gina MacDonald, Kevin L. Caran,* Christine A. Hughey, and Judy Johnson Bradley Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, James Madison University, 901 Carrier Drive, MSC 4501, Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807, United States *E-mail: [email protected].

James Madison University’s (JMU) Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry NSF REU site provides research opportunities for regional, and Deaf and hard-of-hearing (D/HH) students, as well as undergraduate American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting students. The decades-long REU program is an integral part of our scientific community that fosters year-round research. The program recruits students and visiting faculty from institutions with a focus on D/HH students, as well as those from regional institutions with limited research infrastructure. The program provides chemistry research opportunities for D/HH participants, including the resources required for full access (e.g., professional interpreters, disability support). Participation of ASL interpreting students not only broadens the skills of these students, but also expands the pool of professionals with science-interpreting experience, thus lowering barriers for D/HH students to pursue careers in science. Hearing students and faculty benefit from interactions with D/HH students and faculty, and gain an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities associated with the inclusion of persons with disabilities.

Development of the Chemistry REU Site at

© 2018 American Chemical Society Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

James Madison University For many years the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department at James Madison University (JMU) has benefited from generous support from the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) program. The REU program has helped maintain a year-long research-active environment and has increased diversity in the department and important training opportunities. The REU has allowed us to strengthen our program while helping other institutions enhance faculty research. Origins of the Program at JMU Initially, the original P.I., Dr. Dan Downey, recognized that although small liberal arts colleges contribute significantly to the national supply of chemists, many of the schools in the region had limited research infrastructure and opportunities. Dr. Downey recognized that many schools did not have a critical mass of faculty and/or the equipment necessary to easily initiate research and a research culture at their home institution. Thus, the mission of the first two REU grants (Daniel M. Downey and John A. Mosbo, 1990-1995) at JMU was to serve as a place where outside students and faculty could perform research in a community of scholars and use these experiences to initiate and/or enhance research at their home institutions. To this end, the original REU supported JMU students and faculty and outside students and faculty pairs. Thus, from its very inception the JMU REU was aimed at increasing undergraduate research opportunities at JMU and in the broader undergraduate community. During these initial years, the REU solidified a year-long research culture and helped propel JMU’s efforts to provide undergraduate research experiences that were deemed the paramount method of teaching undergraduates. These initial grants were especially important as the department moved to embrace the teacher-scholar model and better integrate research and education at JMU. The initial success of the outside faculty participants and students led to their inclusion throughout the extended history of the JMU REU (1). Incorporation of Outreach to Deaf and Hard of Hearing Participants Later REU programs included outreach to Deaf and hard of hearing (D/HH) students and faculty. Originally, Dr. MacDonald included D/HH students using support from her NSF PECASE award (1998). Observing a school bus from the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind (VSDB) led her to thoughts about why she had never had a Deaf student in any course throughout her entire education and career. This sighting led her to use NSF funds to initiate these efforts to include D/HH students and teachers (2). Initial calls to Dr. Brenda Seal (from JMU’s Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, CSD) and to the principal of VSDB led to the first Deaf researchers. Initially, D/HH teachers, high school students and Gallaudet University undergraduates participated in biophysics research in Dr. MacDonald’s lab. Researchers and interpreters taught Dr. MacDonald about making research accessible in a hearing environment 46 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

and allowed her to initiate a program that was later incorporated into the REU program with Dr. Downey. The original expansion of the program resulted from Chemistry REU funding and allowed the program to include an interpreting mentor (Dr. Seal) and undergraduate interpreting students who worked together to aide communication between D/HH and hearing participants (3). The interpreting students also performed research associated with sign language interpreting and learned from the professional interpreters working in the laboratories. Students had access to professional sign language interpreters who were willing to learn about scientific terms such that they were better able to use American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate concepts to their consumers. This part of the REU has continued to evolve through multiple REU grants. Oftentimes the most culturally important lessons and enhanced communication were learned during informal social events. Social events, such as dinners and canoe trips, included student interpreters. The professional and student interpreters were critical to learning and inclusion for both hearing and D/HH participants. The initial, ten-year collaboration with Dr. Seal allowed us to provide distinctive experiences for student interpreters. Dr. Seal developed and implemented methods to best serve these students and their D/HH consumers. During the initial years, a dedicated professional interpreter (Chris Colbert) also helped get the program off the ground. Chris and Brenda’s ability to communicate culture, educational practices and unique needs of the students were integral in educating Dr. MacDonald, Dr. Downey and the department faculty as we moved to become more inclusive. After Chris’s departure the program faced some challenges. The shortage of interpreters made it difficult to find enough interpreters to cover daily needs and especially challenging for symposium and special event needs. Multiple interpreters were used in the intervening 3-4 years, resulting in less consistency and support. Significant time and effort was dedicated to coordinating interpreters. In addition, inclusion of multiple interpreters reduced the consistency of interpreting in the laboratory. These intervening years seemed to solidify the needs to include undergraduate interpreting students and hope these efforts would help provide future science interpreters. Evolution of the Program Dr. Seal’s retirement from JMU led to searching for another mentor for the interpreting students. Dr. Seal’s legacy has lived on in our REU programs. The role of the ASL student interpreter mentor was subsequently taken on by Judy Johnson Bradley, a professional interpreter. Judy has successfully implemented research and mentoring methods to provide important experiences for student interpreters and their consumers. In addition, Judy’s involvement has provided the more consistent support for our D/HH students. Experience has shown that having a devoted interpreter and mentor alleviates stresses and provides the consistent, familiar environment for the students. Over the years we have had professors from Gallaudet University (a school focused on the education of D/HH students) participate in summer research thus linking the multiple missions of the REU. In fact, one of the original undergraduate 47 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

students in the program participated years later as a Gallaudet professor. Other former REU students have later participated as teachers and brought students from the Model Secondary School for the Deaf (MSSD). The program continues to evolve and to incorporate many unique and some past participants. The JMU REU program has allowed our faculty and students to have inclusive experiences that are not found in many other REU programs. In addition, multiple JMU faculty members now have experience working with interpreters and Deaf students. This program has become a central component of our REU program and culture. Many faculty members now understand the basics in communication such as slowing down speech, not demonstrating a laboratory technique while talking and feeling comfortable looking for an interpreter when necessary. Current faculty and students who have previously participated in our REU better understand the needs of the Deaf and hard of hearing students and how to facilitate day-to-day interactions that result in productive student research experiences and an inclusive social and research environment. Thus, the generous funding from the NSF has allowed hundreds of REU students to experience a more inclusive research environment. Hopefully, the faculty and students experiences at JMU will result in more diverse scientific environments in the future.

Configuration and Organization of the Program REU Program Provides Foundation for Summer Research A major driving force behind JMU’s program continues to be our aim to train undergraduate students in the philosophy and methodology of modern chemistry research, throughout the summer and academic year. Our REU program provides the organizational foundation for our department’s vibrant summer research community. A typical summer includes 40+ research students, (about a quarter of whom are funded by the REU) and ~20 faculty and staff members. The non REU-funded students are supported by other sources including individual faculty grants, student awards, and departmental or college funds. All students, faculty and staff participating in summer research are invited to the organized professional and social events throughout the summer, regardless of funding source. This helps foster connections between members of this larger community, and demonstrates how the organization provided by the REU site affects a significantly larger number of people than the participants who are directly funded by the NSF. Leadership Team The multifaceted scope of our site (chemistry research, ASL interpreting, etc.) is supported by having a two-person leadership team. The PI and co-PI work together to recruit participants, organize events and to serve as the primary points of contact for the program. Other responsibilities are the main focus of the PI (paperwork, finances, etc.) or the co-PI (managing efforts associated with inclusion of the D/HH participants), though this division of labor is fluid and changes regularly as needed. 48 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

Student and Faculty Participants Each summer, approximately ten students are funded by the REU to perform research full time for 10 weeks, under the direct leadership of faculty members. These 10 students generally include 5-7 students from external institutions, approximately 3 of whom are D/HH. Students are recruited primarily from regional institutions with limited access to research opportunities and from programs with a focus on D/HH students such as Gallaudet University and the National Institute for the Deaf (NTID) at Rochester Institute of Technology. Two additional students serve as ASL interpreters for the D/HH participants. In addition, we also host 1-2 chemistry faculty members each summer, typically including one faculty member who is D/HH. Faculty participants are largely recruited from the same institutions as the students, and sometimes come as a faculty/student pair. We have found that this approach can lead to the subsequent development or expansion of research programs at the institutions from which these participants come, further broadening the impact of the program. The ASL mentor and professional ASL interpreters serve as interpreters for the D/HH participants and guides for the ASL interpreting students, as detailed in ASL Interpreting section below. The ASL mentor also aids in recruiting ASL interpreting students. Student Research All students are directly mentored by and collaborate with faculty, and spend the majority of the ten week program developing and implementing their research. Students are placed in groups based on their research interests. Each student is considered as an individual who must develop at her/his own rate. Novice researchers require clear expectations and orientation to their research project, while experienced students, who are afforded more independence, need guidance on the professional practice of science (4). Regardless of experience, the direct interaction that occurs between faculty member and undergraduate has been shown to increase student confidence and self-efficacy, broaden the student’s perception of career and educational opportunities and bolster their identity as scientists (4, 5). Direct mentorship from a faculty member (vs. a post-doc or graduate student) may be even more beneficial for women and underrepresented minorities (6). Furthermore, D/HH students are more successful when paired with a D/HH mentor or a mentor familiar with the Deaf community (7). A growing number of our faculty members have experience mentoring D/HH students as a result of this program. In addition, we regularly recruit D/HH faculty members for at least one of our external faculty positions. Student Presentations and Papers Students present their research both formally and informally throughout the summer. At the end of the first week of the program, students present a two-minute, two-slide research plan to the community of students and faculty. We have found that this is a great way to jump start research by encouraging students to quickly 49 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

learn the basics of their project, under the tutelage of a faculty member. In recent years, we have experimented with a number of events aimed at giving students more experience and confidence discussing and presenting their research. These include having a pot-luck picnic where students bring a one-page visual aid to spur discussion at the picnic tables, and having an interdisciplinary REU RoundRobin Research (R4) event. In the R4 event, students describe their research projects to students and faculty in other disciplines (e.g., computer science, biology and math) with the aid of a one-page visual that highlights an interesting aspect of their research. Students explain their visual in two minutes to a small group (typically 5-6 people), followed by a 2-minute Q&A and then rotate (think, speed dating). Students felt that they particularly benefitted from the round-robin, so we are planning to expand on this as we move forward. At the end of the 10-week program, we hold a formal symposium (a joint event with other JMU departments) that is fashioned after a scientific conference and gives students experience with organizing and delivering research results in the form of a talk or poster. The keynote speaker is typically a former REU student who now holds a Ph.D. Each student also submits a research paper at the end of the summer program. Assessment We assess our program with student surveys at the beginning and end of the program. Historically, we have gained insight on the effectiveness of our program by using David Lopatto’s surveys (8–11) to estimate student skill level, experience, motivation, interest and dedication to success. Recently, we have moved to the US-MORE survey (Undergraduate Scientists: Measuring the Outcomes of Research Experiences from Multiple Perspectives), which has allowed us to include additional survey questions specific to the broader impacts of our program will be used (12, 13). The proficiency and improvement of ASL student interpreters are assessed by the ASL mentor, and by Virginia Quality Assurance Screening (VQAS), which includes a written exam and a performance exam.

American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreting Interpreting Mentor, Interpreting Students, and Professional Interpreters The ASL mentor and the professional ASL interpreters are available to provide the program participants – D/HH and hearing students and faculty – communication access within the research environment. In addition to providing interpreting services, the mentor and the professional interpreters model appropriate interpreting behavior. The interpreting students are able to assist with communication access in social situations although they are not required to interpret in their leisure hours, their skills often allow the D/HH and hearing students to interact in groups in an informal setting. The interpreting students also lead interested faculty and students in weekly informal ASL “sign lunch” classes (Figure 1). The opportunity for hearing participants to learn some basic ASL and interact with D/HH participants is a unique, culturally broadening experience. 50 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

Hearing students and faculty benefit from interactions with D/HH students and faculty, and gain an appreciation for the challenges and opportunities associated with the inclusion of persons with disabilities. As a result of these interactions, our program aims to lower barriers for collaboration between these groups in the future.

Figure 1. ASL interpreting students lead weekly “sign lunch” classes. Photos courtesy of Kevin Caran. Challenges and Opportunities of Interpreting in Research Environment Interpreters’ lack of knowledge or comfort with scientific terminology (Figure 2) in ASL continues to be a barrier for D/HH students of all ages to choose careers in science. The interpreting students are able to observe interpreting in the chemistry research environment, as well as in scientific presentations (Figure 3). This allows the students to incorporate new signs into their lexicon; an ongoing objective for the project is that this exposure will lead to more competence, and greater comfort in a scientific environment, when they matriculate and become professional interpreters. The REU interpreting students are often able to team interpret with the mentor or a professional interpreter and receive feedback, which is valuable for skill development, particularly in a specialized field. 51 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

Figure 2. ASL interpreting can be particularly challenging in a scientific environment where discipline-specific jargon and chemical names are used. Photo courtesy of Brenda Seal.

Figure 3. ASL interpreting at a poster session (top) and during an oral presentation (bottom) at the research symposium. Photos courtesy of Kevin Caran. 52 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

ASL Student Interpreter Research Projects The ASL interpreting students have historically conducted research projects and given presentations related to linguistic features of American Sign Language, under the guidance of the ASL mentor. There are challenges for interpreting within a laboratory environment related to safety, line of sight, and optimal interpreter placement. Most recently, the students undertook a project to find some alternative ways to interpret in the lab that allowed the students and instructor to communicate without an interpreter blocking the line of sight to a fume hood (Figure 4). One lab installed video monitors to allow a slightly more remote placement of the interpreter, giving all participants line of sight access to the experiment as well as to the interpreter. Another lab used a mirror in the back of the hood to allow the interpreter to stand behind the chemistry students and instructor, so that the interpreter was out of the way of the experiment space, yet still within line of sight. Participants gave anecdotal feedback regarding both systems. Deaf students gave positive reviews of both systems, with neither being clearly superior. Evaluation and adjustment of the systems will continue during subsequent REU sessions. The interpreting students will continue to research topics in ASL linguistics in order to further their understanding of the language and of the interpretation process.

Figure 4. Students, faculty and ASL interpreters experimenting with technology to facilitate communication in fume hoods using camera/monitor pairs (top) or large mirrors at the rear of the hood (bottom). Photos courtesy of Judy Johnson Bradley. 53 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

The student and faculty participants, both D/HH and hearing, have expressed their appreciation for the positive community that has developed as a result of the accessible communication environment of the program, both inside the laboratory, and outside the lab in more informal, social activities.

Moving Forward The next JMU REU cycle will continue to involve D/HH participants, ASL interpreters and outside faculty and students from institutions with limited research infrastructure. That said, there will be some significant changes and additions moving forward. These changes include a formalized PI/co-PI rotation schedule, the involvement of ASL-observing students and a programmatic theme centered on effective science communication. We will also continue to improve the means of assessing the effectiveness of the program. Involvement of ASL-Observing Students An important new addition to our program will be the inclusion of approximately eight additional ASL-interpreting students per summer who will observe the professional ASL-interpreters for one week. The incorporation of these students (which will be in addition to the two 10-week interpreting students) will expand the impact of our program by exposing a larger number of interpreting students to the challenges and opportunities involved in Deaf communication in chemistry laboratories. In addition, the observing hours may count toward the degree requirements of some ASL-interpreting programs. The student observers will be invited to campus in groups of two to three students/week during several specified weeks of the program. They will stay in the dorms with the other participants and be paid a per diem to cover expenses. We expect that they will also participate in scheduled events and help serve as interpreters in the dormitory. In the 2017 post-REU survey, D/HH students felt like they had the interpreting support they needed during “business hours” but less so in the dorm. Observing students may help address this need. Effective Science Communication As previously discussed, communication between hearing and D/HH students through professional and student interpreters has been a focus of the JMU REU program for almost two decades. In the next funding cycle, we will formalize the practice of effective science communication by making this a programmatic theme. We have learned through the years that many of the techniques necessary for effective exchange of ideas between D/HH and hearing participants are consistent with the skills required for effective communication within chemistry, across science disciplines and to the public. For example, it is important for students to speak slowly during oral and poster presentations so that the interpreters can keep up, but also so the hearing audience can digest the new content. In 2017, we piloted a seminar dedicated to effective science 54 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

communication and plan to organize a mini-seminar series on the topic in upcoming REU programs. Round table discussions will also be held to discuss assigned readings related to science communication. Students will then practice their oral communication with chemistry colleagues during group meetings and weekly sign lunches. Students will also continue to have the opportunity to present their work in the two-minute, two-slide plans, during the REU Round Robin Research events (which will be held approximately every two weeks) and at the end of semester symposium, as described above. Targeted Assessment We will continue to employ the US-MORE survey (Undergraduate Scientists: Measuring the Outcomes of Research Experiences from Multiple Perspectives) to assess our program (12, 13). Additional questions specific to the D/HH participants are added to evaluate the program’s impact on these participants. All participants complete a pre- and post-REU survey so that changes in students’ motivation and interest in science can be measured. Data is also collected on the extent of prior research experience and career goals. Faculty also assess improvements/changes in laboratory skills and communication, both oral and written. The program is deemed effective if students have an overall positive experience, continue to acquire new knowledge, obtain better course grades in subsequent semesters, enter graduate school, industry or teaching in STEM fields and have a better perspective of career options. Quality research performance is manifested in conference attendance, publication in peer reviewed journals and honors theses. Long term tracking of participants is challenging, but it is possible with email, social media and LinkedIn.

Conclusions Building a new program can be challenging and is most likely filled with many small (and some large) learning opportunities. It can take years to fully gain the experience, the reputation and the trust that is necessary to continue to recruit students, faculty and teachers. It is important to build trust, learn what the students need, transmit this information to other faculty and to have the patience, passion and perseverance necessary to continue to expand and move the program forward. There is no substitute for dedication, enthusiastic and knowledgeable collaborators and the ability to bounce back from setbacks when building any new program. We have been fortunate enough to work with an outstanding group of student and faculty collaborators throughout the history of our program, from whom we continue to learn.

Acknowledgments We gratefully acknowledge the support of the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the REU awards and supplements that have provided funding for our program (CHE-9000748, CHE-9300261, CHE-9731912, CHE-0097448, CHE55 Griep and Watkins; Best Practices for Chemistry REU Programs ACS Symposium Series; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2018.

0353807, CHE-0754521, CHE- 1062629, CHE-1461175). We also thank the JMU Department of Chemistry, the JMU College of Science and Mathematics and the administration of JMU for ongoing generous support. We thank the leaders who laid the foundation for this program including Dr. Daniel M. Downey, Dr. John A. Mosbo, Dr. Brenda C. Seal and Chris Colbert. Most importantly, we thank all of the students, faculty, staff and ASL interpreters who are the heart of our program.

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