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Undergraduate research has long been a springboard for future scientists, but not all students can access these transformative opportunities. What if we reimagined what these programs could look like? A student participating in a traditional undergraduate research experience (URE) in the Earth sciences is likely to devote an entire summer onboard a ship or out in the field to collect and analyze data under the guidance of a mentor. This meaningful experience can give the student professional connections, scientific skills, and confidence in their abilities to boost them into the next phase of their education or career. It is also a crucial component in developing the pool of future professional scientists who will be tasked with addressing our most pressing environmental problems.
For many students, such experiences are out of reach. Consider remote learners, students balancing caregiving, full-time jobs, or military service, or those who might feel unsafe in a field setting. These students are often left out – not for lack of passion or potential – but because their life circumstances do not fit the mold. Yet it’s precisely these students – with varied life experiences – that foster the creative problem-solving invaluable to the Earth sciences community.
Image 1: Zoe ended a seven-year military career to enroll in the university so she could join ARC-Learn. Her topic was inspired by a natural event remembered from childhood, her curiosity and enthusiasm about the topic were infectious, and her completed poster reflected an ability to think outside of the traditional science mindset to effectively display visual patterns in her data.
Authentic Research through Collaborative Learning (ARC-Learn) was born out of a bold vision: to make research opportunities accessible to students whose life circumstances may exclude them from traditional programs.1 With a focus on data rich Arctic science, this program considered the needs of non-traditional students in every design element to strengthen science skills and foster student belonging in the sciences. Bolstered by consensus study recommendations,2 our aim was to test innovative approaches in structuring undergraduate research to support academic growth and empower students to see themselves as vital contributors to the scientific community. The program supported twenty-seven students and sixteen mentors across two cohorts each spanning two academic years.4, 5
“It can be challenging to find research roles in my state or without prior research experience. The program provided so many resources and options for connecting with other students and mentors and really created an atmosphere where I felt that I belonged and was a part of a scientific community, even while being an online student!” – Cohort 2 Student
Alternative Design Feature 1: Research Arc
Traditional UREs generally guide a student through only part of the whole research process, often collecting and/or analyzing data to address their mentor’s research question. But in ARC-Learn, we expanded this process to include the entire research “arc,” inviting students to engage with every aspect of the scientific process and giving them the freedom to design their own journey of discovery over the course of two academic years.
Working in thematic teams of 2-5 students and 2-3 mentors, each participant developed a unique research question inspired by their curiosity and interests. With the support of their team, mentors, and the larger cohort, students searched for meaningful data, analyzed it, and shared synthesized results in a public undergraduate research poster symposium.
The student-driven nature of the program gave students ownership of their projects and created real life challenges for them to work through. Students found this process both highly frustrating – often including false starts, do-overs, and course changes – and highly fulfilling. When existing data was mismatched for their research questions, they worked with their mentors to modify their questions. When they did not yet have the skills to analyze their data, they learned new platforms with mentors or enrolled in relevant coursework.
A professional coordinator managed logistics and provided student support with transparent timelines and carefully crafted assignments to move students toward their goals. The coordinator organized skill development workshops for hands-on practice with analytical tools, and to provide opportunities to build relationships with additional mentors.
With support of their mentors and peers, students cultivated resilience, discovered their capacity to persevere, and grew in their confidence as scientists. The struggle of designing and carrying out their own research – from conceptualization to sharing results – provided a true sense of accomplishment.
Image 2: Owen struggled with the middle portion of the research arc, but eventually produced intriguing results, relating, “Towards the end of year one, I felt so lost and terrified, I wondered if I even wanted to do something like this in grad school? I met one-on-one with my mentor and learned the process of chipping away at a large-scale project like this. One day, I made a large amount of progress and knew that graduate school was something I wanted to do.” (Click here to enlarge.)
“…throughout the program there were many different workshops, mentors to ask questions and talk to, and many small assignments along the way that helped bolster my confidence in my abilities to succeed. I believe that having an open mind and being willing to learn, but also not being afraid to make mistakes, really helped me to see that I was able to achieve being successful in conducting my own research.” – Cohort 2 Student
Alternative Design Feature 2: Long Duration, Low Intensity
Traditional undergraduate programs often follow a summerlong, intensive, field-based model. In ARC-Learn, we envisioned something different. To better support non-traditional students, we employed a long duration, low intensity model. Over the course of two academic years, students participated in weekly meetings that alternated between cohort sessions and research team collaborations. One-on-one mentorship and peer support ensured students had guidance and connection at every step.
This structure was designed with flexibility in mind, allowing students to balance research with their complex life commitments. For some, issues in their personal or academic lives meant pausing their participation. For non-traditional students to be successful, URE programs must account for the realities of their lives, offering grace and adaptability when it’s needed most.
The long-term, low-intensity structure made it difficult for some students to maintain momentum and prioritize research alongside high priority demands on time such as jobs, kids, and classes. We recommend shortening the duration slightly while increasing intensity to improve accountability without compromising flexibility.
Alternative Design Feature 3: Mentoring
In ARC-Learn, a supportive ecosystem enabled our vision of research experiences where students felt empowered at every turn. Students were embedded in a web of support, including a research team consisting of 2-5 peers and 2-3 mentors, a larger cohort of peers and mentors, the administrative team, and academic advisors. Instead of mentors supervising students to complete the mentor’s research project, mentors guided students as they embarked on their own research process inspired by their curiosity and interests.
Image 3: Deepa, a PhD Candidate, went above and beyond to help her students sort through the challenges of research. She celebrated the last day of the program by making liquid nitrogen ice cream.
To answer calls for mentoring to move beyond typical ad-hoc approaches3 with intentional design, training, and reflective and continuous improvement structures, ARC-Learn asked mentors to set preconceived notions of mentorship aside and embrace a different model. This model required mentors to invest a different type of energy to support projects that were sometimes outside of their expertise. Mentors problem-solved alongside students, helping them find and work with challenging data and unfamiliar platforms. To prepare mentors for this innovative model, ARC-Learn implemented comprehensive mentor training, where participants developed personal mentorship philosophies and learned strategies for fostering student growth. A facilitated peer learning community provided space for mentors to share experiences, troubleshoot challenges, and refine their approaches. Mentors were intentionally teamed together to provide complementary subject matter knowledge and skills on each team, and to provide coverage during extended absences for field work. Mentors were formally recognized with the title of “Fellow” to enhance their professional development.
“I really liked working with [my mentor]. She ran meetings like she understood that I felt like I didn’t know what I was doing. She really worked with me. She understood how it felt to be lost in the early and middle part of the project, and I didn’t really have any fear talking to her about it. She showed me a lot about what I would want in a grad school mentor.” – Cohort 2 Student
Bold Undergraduate Research Experience Design
UREs can shape not just individual careers, but the future of the scientific workforce. As you design or refine your programs, it’s essential to balance the logistical constraints of your organization and fit the type of science you conduct.
We encourage you to pause and reflect: What bold ideas could redefine your program design to unlock new opportunities for students or mentors? Where can you step outside the box of the traditional model to open up avenues for students who might not otherwise have a chance to participate? Consider integrating models like team mentoring or flexible formats that adapt to student needs.
While ARC-Learn was only funded for two cohorts, our college has chosen to take some of our lessons-learned to shape future grant applications and influence existing UREs. Many of the students who completed our program are already onto the next step of their scientific career, bolstered by their experience in ARC-Learn. Our hope is that others can take the lessons we learned through ARC-Learn and use them to make bold choices resulting in high quality, accessible research experiences for students at your own institution. By reimagining traditional frameworks and striving for inclusivity, we can build programs to empower the next generation of scientists with grounded experiences of the scientific process and scientific communities.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Co-Investigators Miguel Goni and Lauren Juranek and CEOAS mentors for their leadership in supporting student success. ARC-Learn was a collaboration between the Oregon State University’s College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS) and STEM Research Center. This work is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Award 2110854). Opinions, findings, conclusions, recommendations in these materials are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF.
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