Undergraduate Research Whats In It For YOU

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Undergraduate Research Whats In It For YOU?

• Kathy Whatley
• Associate Vice Chancellor for Natural Sciences
• UNC Asheville
• whatley_at_unca.edu

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UNC Asheville
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UNC Asheville
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Research

• Research
• Scholarly activity
• Creative activity

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Partnership Between Research and Teaching

• Cooperative, not competitive
• Undergraduate research IS teaching and learning
• Mentoring
• Alternative learning styles

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Whats In It for Students?

• Make you own assignment
• Investigate what you like!
• Work closely with faculty
• Become an expert in your project
• Present your results communicate like a
  professional
• PUBLISH! (Your parents will love this!)
• Increased independence

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Whats In It for Faculty?

• Grow your own research team
• Make your own collaborators
• UR counts in teaching load
• Research courses
• One-on-one learning (UR contract courses)
• UR counts in evaluation processes (RTP and PTR)
• Student grants an extra source of research funds

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Whats In It for the Administration?

• An energized faculty!
• More opportunities for students
• More grant overhead funding
• P.S. this will cost money

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Whats In It for Trustees and Friends?

• More regional and national recognition
• Stronger alumni commitment
• Improved student recruitment possibilities
• More interesting events on campus

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Resources

• National Conference on Undergraduate Research
  (NCUR)
• Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR)

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NCUR
www.ncur.org
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NCUR 2005

• April 21-23, 2005 VMI and Washington and Lee,
  Virginia
• www.ncur.org

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CUR
www.cur.org
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Student Stories
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Robert
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• Joann
• Theatre students
• Lydia
• Paige

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Conclusions

• UR provides opportunities for a student to
  participate actively in his or her discipline
• UR helps establish collegial relationships
  between faculty and students, one of the most
  important factors in student retention and
  satisfaction
• UR helps keep faculty engaged and productive