This project is establishing a three-semester curriculum, Introduction to Research I-III, that begins in the freshman year. Students complete two semester-long projects, begin reading peer-reviewed scientific articles while learning about faculty research on campus, and choose a faculty advisor to aid them in writing a research proposal. Experienced juniors and seniors serve as mentors for the freshman and sophomores. It is based on a successful pilot project designed to test the feasibility of the design.
Intellectual Merit: Students gain an understanding of how research is conducted and skills they can use either in their graduate work or as they enter the work place. Faculty have an opportunity to establish a research program at the institution that serves as the base for the work of other students.
Broader Impact: This system is designed to serve as a model for other departments on campus and for other Predominantly Undergraduate Serving Institutions because of an educational research component designed to study the effects of undergraduate research on academic success and students' career choices.
