RESEARCH REPORT: IN PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE

SMU Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

“we remain committed to achievement at the highest levels"

President Gerald R. TurnerOn occasion of SMU’s highest ranking ever

Dawn Youngblood – CUL (Chair) Maggie Dunham – QEP Chair, Engineering Jim Quick – Graduate Research Thomas Coan, Robert Kehoe – Physics Tom Fomby – Economics John Ubelaker – Biology Mathew Gayer – student (Pre-Med), director

Health Literacy Dallas, Presidents Scholar ‘08 Anne Hargis – student (Art History) reviewer

of Undergraduate Research Programs

QEP Research Subcommittee

9 Questions 3 Areas What is Research/Discovery? Describe the goals of research for undergraduates.

Please refer to the University of Houston QEP report for ideas. What Research/Discovery activities already exist at SMU? Be sure to include

individual faculty REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) activities. Also include information about Departmental Distinction.

Identify student outcomes specifically related to your committee’s objectives. For each outcome identify how this is to be measured. Be sure to include time

frames for meeting specific outcomes. For example, do you expect that x% of undergraduate students at SMU will have completed a research/discovery component prior to graduation?

Recommend implementations specifics on how the Research goals will be implemented. Provide an outline of implementation over five years. Be sure to start with the current activities identified in #2. Is a faculty/staff position needed? What would the duties of this position be?

How can we ensure faculty participation? Develop guidelines for an undergraduate research day/seminar to be held yearly on

campus. Develop guidelines for an undergraduate research grants program. Recommend how Departmental Distinction can be expanded to include all

undergraduate majors at SMU.

3 Main Areas Covered

(1) Overview: What we propose and why?

(2) Outcomes: How do we measure success?

(3) Implementations, Guidelines, and Recommendations.

The last area is currently the most undeveloped as it is so dependent on the preceding areas.

What is Research/Discovery?

Describe the goals of research for undergraduates.

What Research/Discovery activities already exist at SMU?

What and Why?

Undergraduate research/Creative projects“Independently or in small teams, and mentored by a faculty member, students do intensive and self-directed research or creative work that results in an original scholarly paper or other product that can be formally presented on or off campus.” (US News)

What is Research / Discovery?

Objective: Why Undergraduate Research?1. Provide out-of-classroom learning experiences that allow

application of class room knowledge to solve new problems

2. Develop and foster an analytical approach to doing research

3. Gain motivation and create new knowledge, fostering an ability to come up with creative solutions

4. Excellent experience, preparation for graduate school5. Develop oral and written communication skills6. Promote interactions between faculty and students7. Make better informed decisions about future career

Describe the goals of research for undergraduates…

What Research/Discovery activities already exist at SMU? Assistantships --URA Research Fair – yes UG’s Hamilton Scholars Provost’s Big iDeas UGR Fellowships: Tower, Richter…

Key ideas that may be most applicable to SMU from other institutions… Undergraduate research publication Campus-wide database delineating

“all” research opportunities Professional / office Promotion of programs

Select SMU student comments on other UG Research Programs:RE: TULANE’s Student Research Database:

“As an undergraduate student I would love to have this kind of tool at my fingertips. A database for interested students to actively pursue their own academic interests beyond their classrooms would completely change Academic life at SMU, … In fact, Academic pursuits would be made more social. Furthermore, SMU students love nothing more than something great to put on their resumes …. If advertised properly, a database like this would be an enormous success. ”

“As an undergrad myself I see that this open recognition and campus participation in research makes it an important part of University life, and does not make it an activity only for the extremely studious. At Baylor, academic research projects seem akin to involvement in Student Government or Campus Activities, in other words, it’s been made cool. I would love to see research be made a normal part of student life at SMU where social activities are so important to the student body.”

Select SMU student comments on needs at SMU:“Visibility – Although we have

the Research Day and occasional symposiums, the website, etc., I will admit as a student it is difficult to understand the options available. When I entered SMU I was pre-med and struggled to understand what programs existed. … Therefore, I think promotion and improvement of a central undergraduate student research page would be a step in the right direction. ….”

“Student Driven Research – I am very thankful, as most students at SMU are, to participate in research with the many distinguished faculty we have at SMU. With this in mind though, almost all of the programs we have discussed or listed require the student to find a project they are interested in working with and having a faculty member they work for. From personal experience, I think it is important to have these opportunities, but also to give students a chance to create and perform their own research projects….”

Key ideas that may be most applicable to SMU from other institutions… Undergraduate research publication editorial,

not refereed? Mentor-approved, editor – who is audience?

AWARDS -- UGR Mentoring, Student Publication, Student Competition / Presentation/ Posters

Database of UGR opportunities -- may use the technology of Mustang traks or career center, but need someone to co-ordinate, promote, talk up, create interest….

Identify student outcomes specifically related to your committee’s objectives.

For each outcome identify how this is to be measured. Be sure to include time frames for meeting specific outcomes. For example, do you expect that x% of undergraduate students at SMU will have completed a research/discovery component prior to graduation?

Outcomes

Outcomes & Measures

Paper? : National UGRJ; SMU online UGRJ, or a secondary in professional journal

Presentation? Or Poster? Professional conference or SMU Research Fair

Patent registry? Competition entry? Fair,

Awards (Goldwater….) Public Discussion

/Forum?

Graded by mentor, independent study?

Evaluated by relevant committee

Senior Thesis – committee, advisor

Tagged – departmental distinction

Tie in to graduation requirements?

Physics as Example

Report for mentor Conference result –

preliminary step; basic analysis, feedback

Undergraduate research journals –such as Journal of UGR in Physics

UG may do a piece – participate; development of a tool or technique

Recommend specifics on how the Research goals will be implemented.Provide an outline of implementation over five years starting with the current activities identified in #2. Is a faculty/staff position needed? What would the duties of this position be? How can we ensure faculty participation? Develop guidelines for an undergraduate research day/seminar to be held yearly on campus.Develop guidelines for an undergraduate research grants program.Recommend how Departmental Distinction can be expanded to include all undergraduate majors at SMU.

Implementations, Guidelines, and Recommendations

What’s next?

Do we add the creative element? How do we involve the library? Write down what is not being done

anywhere on campus regarding UGR