For many years, studies have shown that undergraduate research experiences have numerous positive effects on students. This study seeks to determine if students get more benefit from having multiple undergraduate research experiences. Specifically, this study considered how students' self-efficacy and STEM belonging changed as a result of multiple…

Purpose: Research internships are integral components of undergraduate programs that nurture students' skill sets. However, the current trend of these internships adopting a direct apprenticeship model, often termed "cookbook" laboratory sessions, falls short of cultivating 21st-century skills. Therefore, this study proposes an…

Undergraduate research experiences can have a positive impact on student retention and success in STEM, but are not widely available to community college students. Yet, the role of community colleges in producing STEM graduates, especially Latinx students, is overlooked and likely underestimated. A program designed to attract and retain Latinx…

Challenges from globalization, population growth, and climate change require science, technology, and engineering (STEM) professionals to have global competency. However, the impact of international experiences on STEM students' development of these abilities has not been well studied. We assessed the effects of international research experiences…

Transfer students face many challenges transitioning to a four-year institution, yet support for transfer students can be less comprehensive than for their first time-in-college (FTIC) counterparts. Three four-year universities established the Learning Environment and Academic Research Network Consortium to address this need. They developed and…

There is a growing interest in exploring the structure of student academic writing across different disciplinary backgrounds, including the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) field. However, despite the availability of relevant literature on STEM student writing, research on the structure of STEM students' research…

There are studies that examine the impact of undergraduate research experiences on students, often concluding that there are benefits to such experiences. Using social career cognitive theory, our research aims to add to the literature by examining the long-term effects, including career path and inclusion in research field, of an undergraduate…

Racial and ethnic disparities in STEM achievement are associated with weaker economic growth, greater social inequalities, and narrower parameters of scientific inquiry. Extant research suggests that undergraduate research experiences (URE) can reduce those disparities by enhancing perceptions of belonging and scientific self-efficacy among…

The Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Inclusive Excellence initiative funded 57 institutions to improve capacity to include all students in STEM education and research activities. At Towson University, a professional development (PD) program funded by this initiative helped STEM faculty design course-based undergraduate research experiences…

This study investigates the impact of community college students' participation in mentored undergraduate research, with an emphasis on STEM transfer students. The STEM Academic Research and Training (START) program at Wake Technical Community College was designed and implemented by community college faculty and staff and was evaluated in a…

Exposing children to STEM education from an early age increases their curiosity and interest in STEM careers. Thanks to STEM education, children learn by working like little scientists and putting forward their own scientific products. Based on this approach, the aim of this research is to raise awareness among preschool children about the concept…

Increasing access to undergraduate research is critical in efforts to retain students pursuing careers in STEM. Alternatives to traditional research positions, such as course based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), have played important roles in engaging more undergraduates in research. However, these opportunities are only a subset of…

Undergraduate institutions serve as stepping stones to students' careers. Teaching and learning in science classrooms require quality and integrated teaching-research learning experiences that prepare students to advance their careers. Using publicly available data sets and open-access data analyses software can be impactful for engaging students…

The 'new normal' setup of education posed challenges on courses requiring learners' collaboration. Despite the proven advantages of collaborative writing, several challenges still confront the learners which may affect the quality of their output. Collaboration per se is already a challenge for learners in face-to-face classes, more so in online…

STEM graduate students go through various stages in their development as researchers. Specifically, Ph.D. students are expected to complete coursework, work on their research, help with projects in the lab they are working in, maintain equipment, mentor other researchers, and fulfill departmental requirements. In this dissertation, I have explored…