The Impact of Biomedical Engineering Research Experiences on Undergraduates Understanding of Research Practices and Career Trajectories

Megan F. Campanile; Eric M. Brey; Allison Antink Meyer; Norman G. Lederman

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Publication Date: June 10, 2012
Start Date: June 10, 2012
End Date: June 13, 2012
ISSN: 2153-5965
Conference Session: ERM Potpourri
Tagged Division: Educational Research and Methods
Page Count: 22
Page Numbers: 25.1308.1 - 25.1308.22
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--22065
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/22065
Download Count: 393

Request a correction

Eric M. Brey is an Associate Professor of biomedical engineering and Director of Undergraduate Research.

visit author page

author page

Allison Antink Meyer Illinois Institute of Technology

author page

Norman G. Lederman Illinois Institute of Technology

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

The Impact of Biomedical Engineering Research Experiences onUndergraduates Understanding of Research Practices and CareerTrajectoriesMegan E. Faurot, Allison Antink Meyer, Norman G. Lederman, and Eric BreyThe National Science Foundation and many other institutions supportundergraduate research with an expected outcome of broadening participation incareers in science and engineering. Since 2008, the Illinois Institute ofTechnology has offered approximately 40 students from across the U.S theopportunity to participate in a summer Biomedical Engineering ResearchExperience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The goal of this program is toimmerse undergraduates in biomedical engineering laboratories to conductcutting-edge diabetes research in an effort to influence their long-term interests inscience and engineering. The program is also intended to inform theundergraduate students’ understandings about research design and practice. Inthis study, the program’s influence on these types of understandings and itspotential impact on their career choices was explored. Pre- and post-Likert andopen-ended survey items were coupled with a content test and semi-structuredinterviews to examine the extent to which the program goals were met. Dataanalysis of the pre- and post-survey items that focused on career and researchtopics related to the program goals were on average above 4 on a 5-point Likertscale suggesting that the students had high expectations of the program initiallyand that these expectations were met upon program completion. Findings relatedto how the program influenced the participants fell into three main categories:conceptions of science versus engineering, understandings about the process ofresearch development and practice, and career and graduate school decisions.The implications of these findings include a framework that might directly informthe revision and improvement of REU programs that aim to influence theretention of participants in STEM careers. In addition, REU programs also havethe potential to improve undergraduate students’ informed conceptions ofscience and engineering research design and practice early on in their careertrajectories.

Citation
Format

Campanile, M. F., & Brey, E. M., & Antink Meyer, A., & Lederman, N. G. (2012, June), The Impact of Biomedical Engineering Research Experiences on Undergraduates Understanding of Research Practices and Career Trajectories Paper presented at 2012 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, San Antonio, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--22065

TY - CPAPER
AB - The Impact of Biomedical Engineering Research Experiences onUndergraduates Understanding of Research Practices and CareerTrajectoriesMegan E. Faurot, Allison Antink Meyer, Norman G. Lederman, and Eric BreyThe National Science Foundation and many other institutions supportundergraduate research with an expected outcome of broadening participation incareers in science and engineering. Since 2008, the Illinois Institute ofTechnology has offered approximately 40 students from across the U.S theopportunity to participate in a summer Biomedical Engineering ResearchExperience for Undergraduates (REU) program. The goal of this program is toimmerse undergraduates in biomedical engineering laboratories to conductcutting-edge diabetes research in an effort to influence their long-term interests inscience and engineering. The program is also intended to inform theundergraduate students’ understandings about research design and practice. Inthis study, the program’s influence on these types of understandings and itspotential impact on their career choices was explored. Pre- and post-Likert andopen-ended survey items were coupled with a content test and semi-structuredinterviews to examine the extent to which the program goals were met. Dataanalysis of the pre- and post-survey items that focused on career and researchtopics related to the program goals were on average above 4 on a 5-point Likertscale suggesting that the students had high expectations of the program initiallyand that these expectations were met upon program completion. Findings relatedto how the program influenced the participants fell into three main categories:conceptions of science versus engineering, understandings about the process ofresearch development and practice, and career and graduate school decisions.The implications of these findings include a framework that might directly informthe revision and improvement of REU programs that aim to influence theretention of participants in STEM careers. In addition, REU programs also havethe potential to improve undergraduate students’ informed conceptions ofscience and engineering research design and practice early on in their careertrajectories.
AU - Megan F. Campanile
AU - Eric M. Brey
AU - Allison Antink Meyer
AU - Norman G. Lederman
CY - San Antonio, Texas
DA - 2012/06/10
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - The Impact of Biomedical Engineering Research Experiences on Undergraduates Understanding of Research Practices and Career Trajectories
UR - https://peer.asee.org/22065
DO - 10.18260/1-2--22065
ER -