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Developing Successful Undergraduate Research Program

A DIY guide on how to involve undergraduates in all aspects of research, from field monitoring to data analysis and dissemination. Learn how to recruit, mentor, and support undergraduate research projects.

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Developing Successful Undergraduate Research Program

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  1. How do you do that with undergraduates? A DIY guide to developing a successful undergraduate research program Steven Lev Urban Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory Towson University, Towson, MD

  2. TOWSON UNIVERSITY AT A GLANCE Towson is a metropolitan university located in a suburb 8 miles north of Baltimore, MD Total Enrollment19,758 Undergraduate Enrollment14,180 full-time 2,039 part-time Graduate Enrollment:3,539 Faculty: full-time 728 part-time   647 Student-Faculty Ratio: 18:1 Sponsored Research: FY05   $13,153,885 FY06   $17,302,539 FY07   $19,045,301

  3. What is undergraduate research? Grinding samples is not undergraduate research! Students can be active participants in all aspects of your research…

  4. What is undergraduate research? Field: Monitoring of field sites, Sampling plan and Sample collection Laboratory: Method development, QA/QC planning, Sample preparation Analysis: Training to operate instrumentation, Evaluation of data quality, Statistics, Use of interpretive diagrams Dissemination: Preparation of posters and talks, Scientific writing

  5. How do you do that with undergraduates? Institutional Support Faculty Commitment

  6. Role of the Faculty Planning Recruiting Mentoring

  7. Role of the Faculty Planning Understand the strengths and weakness of your students Structure your research agenda so that projects can be compartmentalized Establish realistic goals for each student project Set a reasonable time table for project completion/dissemination

  8. Role of the Faculty Recruiting Incorporate research into the core undergraduate curriculum Look beyond your discipline Offer to give departmental seminars or guest lectures in related courses Rising Sophomores and Juniors offer long term potential

  9. Role of the Faculty Mentoring Provide primary literature and encourage literature review Establish clear research milestones for each student Provide regular feedback Spend time with your students in the field and in the laboratory Don’t assume mastery of basic skills

  10. Discharge Model 35 y = 4.5148*x3.3261 R2 = 0.7412 30 25 20 Discharge (cfs) 15 10 5 0 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 Depth (feet) Examples from the UEBL: Metal Transport and Storage

  11. Examples from the UEBL: Metal Transport and Storage

  12. Examples from the UEBL: Impact of Roadway Salt LMR: Little Morgan Run MDE: Middle Run BEA: Beaver Run Kaushal et al. 2005. PNAS 102:13517-13520

  13. Examples from the UEBL: Impact of Roadway Salt

  14. 5 6 Shallow Groundwater Transects Dn Up Examples from the UEBL: Impact of Roadway Salt • Pond 5 receives runoff from a 4 lane residential roadway • Pond 6 receives runoff from a residential parking lot • ~100 m floodplain between ponds and 2nd order tributary of Red Run • Sampling • Shallow groundwater • Surface water in ponds and 1st and 2nd order tribs

  15. Examples from the UEBL: Impact of Roadway Salt Ratio of surface water conductivity to 2nd order trib conductivity upstream of site indicates substantial salinization

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