Undergraduate Research in Chemical Engineering: Benefits and Best Practices

Abstract

Undergraduate research is widely recognized as a high-impact practice in higher education, but pressures on new faculty may make them hesitant to engage in the potentially time-consuming mentorship of undergraduate researchers. The objective of our workshop was to inspire and equip faculty to engage undergraduates in their laboratories and research programs both to enrich the educational experience of the students and to enhance faculty research productivity. The workshop covered benefits to students as well as benefits and challenges to faculty. Tools to help plan an individual student projects were presented. We also covered information on alternatives to individual projects to increase student and faculty productivity. These included course-based undergraduate research experiences and undergraduate research seminar courses.