Journal Article

An inclusive Research Education Community (iREC)

Sivanathan, Viknesh, Cresawn, Steven G., Graham, Mark J., Pope, Welkin H., Asai, David J., Hanauer, David I., Garlena, Rebecca A., Jacobs-Sera, Deborah, Bobrownicki, Aiyana, Jacobs, William R., SEA-PHAGES, Hatfull, Graham F., Betancur, Laura, Kaufmann, Nancy, Russell, Daniel A.

2017

Overview

Engaging undergraduate students in scientific research promises substantial benefits, but it is not accessible to all students and is rarely implemented early in college education, when it will have the greatest impact. An inclusive Research Education Community (iREC) provides a centralized scientific and administrative infrastructure enabling engagement of large numbers of students at different types of institutions. The Science Education Alliance–Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (SEA-PHAGES) is an iREC that promotes engagement and continued involvement in science among beginning undergraduate students. The SEA-PHAGES students show strong gains correlated with persistence relative to those in traditional laboratory courses regardless of academic, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic profiles. This persistent involvement in science is reflected in key measures, including project ownership, scientific community values, science identity, and scientific networking.

• Publisher: National Academy of Sciences
• Subject: Biological Sciences / Biomedical Research - education / Biomedical Research - standards / College students / Education / Education, Medical, Undergraduate - methods / Education, Medical, Undergraduate - standards / Ethnic factors / Female / Genomics / Higher education / Humans / Learning / Male / Microbiology / Phages / Program Evaluation / Science education / Socioeconomic factors / Students / Teaching / Universities - standards / Young Adult