Help college students develop their research skills

Over the summer, 50 Cal State Fullerton students conducted research on a wide range of topics, including the effects of sleep proximity on language / speech, programming, and teaching women in prison, the use of 3D printed aligners for application in dentistry, disparities in certain types of cancer, mistrust in the response to the pandemic, multiple projects focused on science and health, and many more.

“We know that students who work on research projects as undergraduates are more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree and beyond,” said Binod Tiwari, associate vice president for research and projects. sponsored and professor of civil and environmental engineering. “One of the ways to encourage our undergraduates and show them what they’re capable of was to create the Summer Undergraduate Research Academy.

While many universities focus on research programs and mentoring, they tend to focus on graduate students. The faculty at Cal State Fullerton wanted to provide the same opportunities – a chance to learn, challenge themselves, and make discoveries – to undergraduates. The academy (SUReA) offers this opportunity, according to its organizers.

“SUReA is an inclusive university-wide funding program that engages undergraduates in research with professors from each college and library as mentors,” said Terri Patchen, director of SUReA , teacher of elementary and bilingual education and researcher for creative activities and student research. “Undergraduates are deeply involved in a range of disciplinary practices under the guidance of faculty mentors: conducting literature reviews; create and develop artistic projects: transcribe, translate, code or analyze data; determine the main conclusions; and / or write research articles.

“Students who work on research projects as undergraduates are more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree and beyond. “

– Binod Tiwari, Associate Vice-President for Research and Sponsored Projects

Last month, 50 SUReA students presented a poster at the SUReA conference, individually or in teams of two students.

“SUReA’s goal is to provide faculty and students the freedom to develop aspects of their research or artistic projects that advance their academic programs while teaching valuable skills. For many students and faculty, this is a unique and special experience, during which institutional recognition of the value of their work goes hand in hand with institutional support, ”said Patchen.