Morin, M. P., & Dayerizadeh, A., & Booth, K. (2019, June), The Shift from the Two- to Four-Year Institute: How Research Experiences Impact Community College Students  Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida. 10.18260/1-2--33424

\bibitem{asee_peer_33424}
  Morin, M. P., \& Dayerizadeh, A., \& Booth, K. (2019, June), \emph{The Shift from the Two- to Four-Year Institute: How Research Experiences Impact Community College Students}
  Paper presented at 2019 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition , Tampa, Florida.
  10.18260/1-2--33424

Megan Patberg Morin, Alireza Dayerizadeh, and Kristen Booth.  "The Shift from the Two- to Four-Year Institute: How Research Experiences Impact Community College Students".  2019 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition , Tampa, Florida, 2019, June.  ASEE Conferences, 2019.  https://peer.asee.org/33424 Internet.  12 Dec, 2024

\bibitem{asee_peer_33424}
  Megan Patberg Morin, Alireza Dayerizadeh, and Kristen Booth.
  "The Shift from the Two- to Four-Year Institute: How Research Experiences Impact Community College Students".
  \emph{2019 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition , Tampa, Florida, 2019, June}.
  ASEE Conferences, 2019.
  https://peer.asee.org/33424 Internet.  12 Dec, 2024

@INPROCEEDINGS{asee_peer_33424
author = "Megan Patberg Morin, Alireza Dayerizadeh, and Kristen Booth"
title = "The Shift from the Two- to Four-Year Institute: How Research Experiences Impact Community College Students"
booktitle = "2019 ASEE Annual Conference \& Exposition "
year = "2019"
month = "June"
address = "Tampa, Florida"
publisher = "ASEE Conferences"
note = {https://peer.asee.org/33424}
number = {10.18260/1-2--33424}
}

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - Undergraduate research programs provide ample opportunities and rewards, such as a greater understanding of a discipline, developing critical thinking skills, providing networking opportunities, and increased interest in graduate education.  However, community colleges often do not offer undergraduate research opportunities.  Our university designed a research experience for undergraduates (REU) program with the purposeful recruitment of local community college students to create opportunity and expose these students to emerging technologies, like wide bandgap semiconductors (WBG) and renewable energy applications.  The goal was to diversify academic representation for the program and our field.

Intentional student selection is most significant when creating a diverse and inclusive environment.  REU participation included 33.3% of students from community college students and 42% from underrepresented populations.  Through deliberate efforts to create an inclusive community using team-building activities and social gatherings, participants focused on being one cohort while learning together.  With strong relationships, students are more willing to communicate and collaborate during their research.

Recruiting REU students from a community college increases awareness of and interest in WBG and renewable technologies, fields that are in high demand. Through working in cutting edge university labs, the REU program provides students an opportunity to develop critical technical skills which they might not learn at a community college.  This REU program offered weekly differentiated technical sessions for participants to address any gaps in prior knowledge between students from a four-year institution and community college.  These sessions also aided the graduate mentors in providing targeted support for their community college mentees. 

In a day-long workshop, an Electrical Engineering Ph.D. student led a teaching module and hands-on experimental session on WBG-based technologies.  The community college students scored 94% on the post-assessment, making a 12% improvement from the pre-assessment. Students also participated in weekly sessions focused on specific professional skills such as networking, sharing a perfect pitch, and writing a literature review.  From the REU post-survey, students ranked a four and above on a five-point scale in public speaking, problem-solving, networking, and collaborating.

The REU program also assisted the community college students transition to a four-year institution as 100% of the participants successfully transitioned; 75% of them chose the REU site home institution, and 25% chose another research institution.  The program also prepared students for graduate school as the Education Team educated students on how to complete applications, obtain funding, and pursue a graduate program.  Graduate school interest increased by 25% for community college participants as well as research and industry-focused careers in renewable energy and STEM.   All REU participants shared that 100% of their goals were met from the REU experience and would recommend our program.  From this program, we hope to continue to increase our community college collaborations through developing a new partnership with another local community college. Results from this program have shown that community college students who participate in research opportunities have increased interest in critical fields of engineering which develops a well-rounded and more diverse technical workforce. 
AU  - Megan Patberg Morin
AU  - Alireza Dayerizadeh
AU  - Kristen Booth
CY  - Tampa, Florida
DA  - 2019/06/15
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - The Shift from the Two- to Four-Year Institute: How Research Experiences Impact Community College Students
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/33424
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--33424
ER  -