Project Details
Project PI's: Drs. Grace Panther & Heidi Diefes-Dux
Amount and Years: $392,226, 2023 - 2026
Funding: National Science Foundation Award #2244323
Abstract: This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site project will support the training of eight students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2023-2025. Students will be engaged in investigating questions in the area of engineering education research. Professional development activities will help students improve their research and workplace people skills. Professional development activities will be held weekly and include topics such as preparing for the graduate record exam, writing personal statements, networking, finding and reading research, writing about research findings, and mock research presentations.
Four research objectives guide the project. First is to provide research experiences to undergraduate students with at least half (50%) of the program participants coming from two-year and four-year colleges and universities with limited research opportunities and half (50%) coming from underrepresented groups in STEM (including first-generation college students). Second is to provide participants with an immersive experience in engineering education through research and professional development opportunities with an emphasis on the significance and rigor expected in the field of engineering education. Third is to enable participants to develop research skills that are transferable to their STEM fields of study. Fourth, and finally, is to promote and sustain, through undergraduate research experiences, mentoring, and networking, the interest of undergraduate students in pursuing graduate education in STEM, particularly engineering education research. Applications are due by March 1 each year. More information visit https://www.unl.edu/summerprogram/reu-engineering-education-research.