BOARD # 304: The Effect on Students’ Attitudes toward Graduate Education and Transportation-related Fields in the Research for Inclusivity and Driving Equity (RIDE) REU Site

Shannon Roberts; Betty Annan

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Conference: 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Publication Date: June 22, 2025
Start Date: June 22, 2025
End Date: August 15, 2025
Conference Session: NSF Grantees Poster Session I
Tagged Topic: NSF Grantees Poster Session
Page Count: 6
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/55670
Download Count: 1

Paper Authors

biography

Shannon Roberts University of Massachusetts Amherst orcid.org/0000-0002-0052-7801

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Dr. Shannon Roberts is the Principal Investigator at the RIDE (Research for Inclusivity and Driving Equity) REU (Research Experience for Undergraduate) Site and an Associate Professor of Industrial Engineering at UMass Amherst. Dr. Roberts is also a trained Human Factors engineer with expertise in studying and evaluating the interaction between humans and systems within the domain of transportation safety. Much of her work is conducted with human participants in the Human Performance Laboratory’s driving simulator. Her research focuses on studying and improving young drivers’ behavior, developing feedback and warning systems to improve driving behavior, and examining how advanced technology (e.g., driving automation systems) alters driver behavior.

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biography

Betty Annan University of Massachusetts Amherst

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Betty Annan is a PhD student in the Higher Education program at the College of Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Betty is also the Research Assistant/Program Coordinator for the NSF RIDE (Research for Inclusivity and Driving Equity) REU Site. Her research centers on improving college access and success for students who are globally underrepresented in higher education systems. She focuses on uncovering institutional policies and practices that influence these students' persistence and completion while celebrating the strengths they bring to campuses.

Throughout her academic journey and career, Betty has actively contributed to projects and programs designed to support underrepresented students, helping them navigate their educational paths and achieve their goals. Her dedication stems from her unwavering belief in the transformative power of education. She is driven by her desire to foster inclusive environments where every individual can thrive.

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Abstract

The Effect on Students’ Attitudes toward Graduate Education and Transportation-related Fields in the Research for Inclusivity and Driving Equity (RIDE) REU Site

Improving upon inequities in transportation that disproportionately harm underserved groups is of paramount importance. In addition, incorporating underrepresented minority (URM) students into STEM research that improves the experiences of underserved communities is significant to their retention as well as education and career advancement [1]-[3]. In line with the National Science Foundation’s goal to support science and engineering research to promote the advancement of students [4], the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) funds the RIDE REU Site from 2022 - 2025.

The purpose of the RIDE REU Site is to provide undergraduate students with an immersive and interdisciplinary experience in community-engaged research focused on improving the transportation experience of underserved and underrepresented communities. In 2023 and 2024, the site recruited a diverse pool of 26 undergraduate students, including 15 women, 15 URM students, 4 first-year students, and 10 from no-or-low research institutions. The site also engaged students in interdisciplinary research projects in engineering, science, psychology, planning, and policy over the nine-week summer program. Students were assigned to research projects based on their backgrounds, interests, and the evolving research among faculty, graduate student mentors, and community patterns. Twelve faculty and 17 graduate student mentors helped to train and support students during the summer, whom they continue to maintain connections with and mentor beyond the summer. In addition, the RIDE site provided professional development and communication seminars on topics such as community-engaged research and ethical research practices and technical seminars to provide exposure to real-world transportation-related work as well as potential career paths in transportation.

To assess the RIDE REU Site’s effectiveness, we employed a survey and focus groups. Results from the descriptive analysis and focus groups provide evidence of the program’s influence on students’ attitudes toward enrolling in graduate school and pursuing transportation-related fields. Specifically, before the program, 40% of students indicated it was likely they would attend graduate school. This increased to 80% after the program. Regarding pursuing studies in transportation-related fields, the proportion of students who indicated it was “somewhat unlikely” decreased from 33% to 17%, while those who indicated “somewhat likely” increased from 17% to 25%. In addition, 90% of participants indicated they were “not at all knowledgeable” to “somewhat knowledgeable” about the research process before the program. However, after the program, 90% indicated they were knowledgeable about the research process. In the focus groups, one participant explained, “I had zero research experience coming here. I learned coding and how to set up interviews. It was very useful…” Others also said that the “hands-on approach” of the program facilitated their learning, and they enjoyed working in a setting where they could “make mistakes without worrying about grades.” This study contributes to the understanding of the effectiveness of multi-faceted research training programs on undergraduate education and career advancement and points to the importance of a mentoring framework for an inclusive research community.

Citation
Format

Roberts, S., & Annan, B. (2025, June), BOARD # 304: The Effect on Students’ Attitudes toward Graduate Education and Transportation-related Fields in the Research for Inclusivity and Driving Equity (RIDE) REU Site Paper presented at 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Montreal, Quebec, Canada . https://peer.asee.org/55670

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - The Effect on Students’ Attitudes toward Graduate Education and Transportation-related Fields in the Research for Inclusivity and Driving Equity (RIDE) REU Site


Improving upon inequities in transportation that disproportionately harm underserved groups is of paramount importance. In addition, incorporating underrepresented minority (URM) students into STEM research that improves the experiences of underserved communities is significant to their retention as well as education and career advancement [1]-[3]. In line with the National Science Foundation’s goal to support science and engineering research to promote the advancement of students [4], the Division of Engineering Education and Centers (EEC) funds the RIDE REU Site from 2022 - 2025.

The purpose of the RIDE REU Site is to provide undergraduate students with an immersive and interdisciplinary experience in community-engaged research focused on improving the transportation experience of underserved and underrepresented communities. In 2023 and 2024, the site recruited a diverse pool of 26 undergraduate students, including 15 women, 15 URM students, 4 first-year students, and 10 from no-or-low research institutions. The site also engaged students in interdisciplinary research projects in engineering, science, psychology, planning, and policy over the nine-week summer program. Students were assigned to research projects based on their backgrounds, interests, and the evolving research among faculty, graduate student mentors, and community patterns. Twelve faculty and 17 graduate student mentors helped to train and support students during the summer, whom they continue to maintain connections with and mentor beyond the summer. In addition, the RIDE site provided professional development and communication seminars on topics such as community-engaged research and ethical research practices and technical seminars to provide exposure to real-world transportation-related work as well as potential career paths in transportation. 

To assess the RIDE REU Site’s effectiveness, we employed a survey and focus groups. Results from the descriptive analysis and focus groups provide evidence of the program’s influence on students’ attitudes toward enrolling in graduate school and pursuing transportation-related fields. Specifically, before the program, 40% of students indicated it was likely they would attend graduate school. This increased to 80% after the program. Regarding pursuing studies in transportation-related fields, the proportion of students who indicated it was “somewhat unlikely” decreased from 33% to 17%, while those who indicated “somewhat likely” increased from 17% to 25%. In addition, 90% of participants indicated they were “not at all knowledgeable” to “somewhat knowledgeable” about the research process before the program. However, after the program, 90% indicated they were knowledgeable about the research process. In the focus groups, one participant explained, “I had zero research experience coming here. I learned coding and how to set up interviews. It was very useful…” Others also said that the “hands-on approach” of the program facilitated their learning, and they enjoyed working in a setting where they could “make mistakes without worrying about grades.” This study contributes to the understanding of the effectiveness of multi-faceted research training programs on undergraduate education and career advancement and points to the importance of a mentoring framework for an inclusive research community.

AU  - Shannon Roberts
AU  - Betty Annan
CY  - Montreal, Quebec, Canada 
DA  - 2025/06/22
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - BOARD # 304: The Effect on Students’ Attitudes toward Graduate Education and Transportation-related Fields in the Research for Inclusivity and Driving Equity (RIDE) REU Site
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/55670
ER  -