“When I attended the CUR institute UCF’s Undergraduate Research office was in its infancy,� said Schneider. “Participating in the conference provided insights, best practices and practical advice that helped to shape undergraduate research at the university.�

Today, UCF is nationally recognized for its undergraduate research that engages more than 600 faculty members and more than 1700 students.

In recognition of the value of the CUR institute, UCF last week hosted the organization’s 2018 institute. Thirty universities with 80 attendees from across the country participated in the three-day event focused on establishing new undergraduate research programs, developing centralized undergraduate research offices and expanding undergraduate research opportunities from a single department to a campuswide program.

President John C. Hitt provided opening remarks and underscored the importance of the institute and the connection between robust undergraduate research programs and exceptional student academic experiences. He said: “Regardless of how your institution seeks to grow its excellence and opportunities in undergraduate research, you are in the right place for pursuing results.�

Action-oriented sessions focused on strategic planning, assessment, budget and marketing. Speakers included Schneider; Michael Aldarondo-Jeffries, director of Academic Advancement Programs in UCF’s Division of Teaching and Learning; psychology Professor Gerry Gonzalez of California State º£½ÇÖ±²¥ San Marcos; Sandy Gregerman, special counsel, Undergraduate Research and Student Access Initiatives at the º£½ÇÖ±²¥ of Michigan; and Mary Crowe, assistant provost of experiential learning at Florida Southern College.

Elizabeth A. Dooley, vice provost of teaching and learning and dean of the College of Undergraduate Studies, stressed the importance of the institute. “We know that high impact practices play a key role in creating an environment that fosters student success. Programs, like CUR, spark the ideas that enhance teaching and learning and professional and academic development for faculty members and students.�

The council and its affiliated colleges, universities and individuals share a focus on providing undergraduate research opportunities for faculty and students at all institutions serving undergraduate students. For more information about CUR visit .

If you are interested in getting involved in undergraduate research at UCF, email our@ucf.edu.

Kimberly Schneider, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research in UCF’s College of Undergraduate Studies, will split a $1.8 million National Science Foundation grant with peers at Florida Atlantic º£½ÇÖ±²¥ and Western Carolina º£½ÇÖ±²¥ to expand the Learning Environment and Academic Research Network (LEARN) to those institutions.

The program addresses the national challenge of retaining a STEM workforce in the future.  The 2012 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology recommended targeting the first two years of university education as a critical juncture in buttressing the training of new STEM workforce in the U.S.

Studies show that close to one-third of all students entering U.S.colleges leave after one year and go on to have a less than 50 percent shot of graduating within five years.  Additionally, minority students have far lower rates of graduating with STEM degrees than white Americans.

The current LEARN program, started in 2011, gives 28 eligible first-year undergraduates  the opportunity to live together in a UCF residence hall,  work in laboratories with faculty and graduate students, take courses focused on conducting academic research and receive personalized mentoring and guidance counseling. Additionally, the students take part in academic, social and community service activities.

Jadzia Bracamonte, a junior who is pre-med, completed the LEARN program as a freshman.  She came to UCF from Tampa and didn’t know anyone when she arrived.  The program gave her the opportunity to connect with students with similar interests and helped clarify for her that she was going to study pre-med.

“It helped me establish my niche here,� she said. Through the program’s research apprentice component she worked with Bill Self, a researcher in the College of Medicine and was later introduced to another top medical researcher, Alexander Cole, and was able to spend a summer interning in his laboratory.

The 2011 class of LEARN students returned to their STEM majors in fall 2014 at a 36 percent higher rate than a control group.  The LEARN students also showed marked academic improvement with a spring 2012 GPA is 3.28 compared to the control group which was 2.79.

The additional funding for the program will enable it to expand to an additional group of students – those transferring to UCF from community colleges.

“A high percentage of underrepresented and underserved minorities in STEM fields begin their higher education careers in community colleges,� Schneider said.  “We believe this model will help those students get the support and skills needed to succeed in science-based careers,� she said.

Donna Chamely-Wiik , director of Florida Atlantic º£½ÇÖ±²¥â€™s Quality Enhancement Plan and Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry is the leader of the project for FAU and Alison Morrison-Shetlar, Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and professor of biology  is the lead for WCU.

The week kicks off with a day of workshops including associate professor Tim Brown’s Communicating Your Research Workshop, ideal for those planning to present at one of the student research showcases later in the week.  For those students who are not yet involved in research but would like to learn more, Kimberly Schneider, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research,  will be presenting Getting Started – Undergraduate Research that will review the research programs at UCF, how to find a faculty mentor, and more.

The day will come to a close with a workshop for all UCF students on how to find, apply, and be competitive for national and international scholarships and fellowships. This workshop presented by the College of Graduate Studies will offer attendees a look at some of the largest and most prestigious financial awards that students can apply for and how to prepare their applications.

On March 31 and April 2, UCF students from all disciplines across campus will share their research with the UCF community at the Graduate Research Forum and Showcase of Undergraduate Research Excellence respectively. Both open house events will be held in the Student Union Pegasus Ballroom and are open to everyone. Student presenters will receive faculty feedback, share their work, and compete for cash awards for best-in-category presentations. These celebrations of student research are also excellent opportunities for students early in their research career to ask questions of others and learn more about their academic disciplines.

April 1 will feature three workshops ranging from a panel discussion about Planning for Success in Graduate School, a workshop entitled The Library- Your Research Partner for Finding and Organizing Your Literature, and finally a new addition to student research week: Student to Student: Debunking the Myths of Undergraduate Research, which will allow undergraduates the opportunity to converse with current researchers about how they got involved in research and what the experience is like.  

Student Research Week is to highlight the excellence of scholarship at UCF and also encourage others who may be interested in getting involved with research.