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RECCS students prepare to take measurements on Bald Mountain in July 2015. Credit: Marianne Davenport, CIRES/CU Boulder
Each summer, community college students from Colorado and surrounding states gather on the CU Boulder campus to participate in an intensive nine-week program of study. Recent research led by CIRES shows that students return home not only with new scientific and professional skills, but also with greater confidence in their ability to do science and a greater sense of belonging to the scientific community. It became clear. .
This work, published last month, Pro Swansuggesting that authentic research experiences stimulate community college students’ interest in STEM careers.
“Paid independent research experiences with supportive mentoring and cohort environments allow undergraduates to learn about science together, create a community of peers interested in research, and build their identity and career readiness as scientists. “We provide an opportunity,” said Anne Gold, the institute’s director. CIRES Education & Outreach Program (E&O) and co-author of the paper.
The Research Experience for Community College Students (RECCS), led by CIRES E&O, pairs community college students with scientific mentors from CIRES, CU Boulder, and NOAA to explore cutting-edge research questions in environmental or earth sciences. Masu.
During the program, students become scientists and scrutinize academic papers. Engage in data collection and analysis in the field, laboratory, or computer. and engage and share their findings with colleagues and the broader scientific community. RECCS also supports students to improve their communication and writing skills and explore a wide range of STEM-related topics, including potential career options and mental health.
“We wanted to learn not only about students’ skill development, but also about their personal and professional benefits, their confidence in science, and their sense of belonging to the scientific community,” says CIRES E&O Evaluator, said Christine Okochi, lead author of the paper. paper.
To understand the program’s impact on students, Okochi and colleagues analyzed post-program survey responses from students who participated in RECCS from 2015 to 2018. The survey included a mix of closed- and open-ended questions asking students to reflect on their growth and “gains” through the program. Across surveys, RECCS students said the program helped them build scientific and professional skills, develop a scientific identity, and increase their interest in graduate school and STEM careers.
“Community college students are in the early stages of their studies, and it’s important that they have the opportunity to conduct research,” Okochi says. “Our research shows that for many students, immersive research experiences helped them decide on their career paths.”
The team also evaluated post-program survey responses from RECCS mentors and found that mentors observed growth in students’ research and technical skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving. More than a quarter of the mentors’ girlfriends also noted the students’ personal growth, such as gaining confidence and comfort in the research environment.
This study builds on previous CIRES E&O research that found that students were able to analyze scientific papers and graphs more like experts after the RECCS program.
Since its founding in 2014, RECCS has served 114 community college students. At least 42 graduates have earned her STEM undergraduate and graduate degrees, and 43 are currently enrolled in her STEM undergraduate or graduate programs.
“RECCS has been essential to my current career,” says Marianne Davenport, a 2015 RECCS student at Denver Community College who now works in the U.S. Forest Service Forest Health Conservation Program. “I realized that research was something I could do, and it opened my mind to considering graduate school.”
Okochi and his colleagues hope the results of this study will inspire and encourage other Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) programs and support immersive research opportunities for community college students. .
“Academic research grows when team members bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to develop creative solutions,” Gold said. “Student research experiences at research-only institutions like community colleges expand participation in science and inspire the next generation of scientists.”
For more information:
Christine Okochi et al., Early Access to Scientific Research Opportunities: Growth within Earth Science Summer Research Programs for Community College Students, Pro Swan (2023). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293674
Applications for the 2025 RECCS program are being accepted until February 5, 2024. For more information, visit https://cires.colorado.edu/outreach/RECCS.
Magazine information:
PLoS ONE