Browsing by Subject "Faculty mentor"

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Faculty principal investigators of undergraduate research : motivations, context, and realities at an R1 institution
(2018-04-16) Davis, Coreen Walker; Somers, Patricia (Patricia A.); Reddick, Richard J; Kameen, Marilyn C; Sedwick, Susan W
There is a national call to improve higher education by increasing access to high-impact undergraduate research experiences. Faculty mentors provide the structure, training, and academic guidance critical to undergraduate research success, yet the limited research shows faculty participants face significant barriers related to time, recognition, and funding. These barriers increase at research-intensive (R1) doctoral universities where, though there are more cutting-edge research facilities, undergraduates are no more likely to participate in research than their peers at other types of institutions. Despite these barriers, some R1 faculty members serve as principal investigators (PIs) of National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site programs. These intensive summer training programs are highly beneficial for student participants but require a significant amount of faculty effort with seemingly little benefit to faculty research productivity, publication, career trajectory, or compensation. This embedded, single-case study addressed a gap in the emerging literature on faculty involvement in undergraduate research, asking 1) how does the institutional context at an R1 university influence faculty members’ participation as PI of NSF REU site programs; and 2) why do faculty PIs decide to participate in these NSF REU site programs? Constant comparative analysis was used to interpret interview, observation, and document data from a single R1 institution, resulting in a holistic understanding of the perspectives and institutional context of eight NSF REU faculty PIs. Drawing from nineteen semi-structured interviews, key findings indicate that while the importance of REU sites for students is evident, there are few institutionalized support structures or rewards for the faculty member’s involvement. This forces PIs to take on REU responsibilities in addition to their existing workload and implement creative strategies to run REU programs efficiently. With limited career benefit or institutional incentives, faculty members are motivated to participate in NSF REUs for broader goals, such as supporting undergraduate education, diversifying the academy, or improving the reputation and programming of their department or academic unit. Findings indicate increased institutional and funding support of faculty mentors is needed to increase access to high-impact undergraduate research opportunities