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Biomedical Engineering Education

Biomedical Engineering Education - Poster Session E

Poster Q12 - Evolution of an REU Site Professional Development Program by Leveraging Outcomes from a 9-year Biomedical Engineering REU Program

Saturday, October 26, 2024
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM EST
Location: Exhibit Hall E, F & G

Introduction:  Quality research opportunities can increase confidence, sense of belonging, and likelihood of pursuing a graduate degree. Research shows these positive impacts can be amplified for under-represented students. The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site in Biomedical Engineering in Simulations, Imaging, and Modeling (BME-SIM) at East Carolina University was funded by NSF in 2014 (EEC-1359183), 2017 (EEC-1659796), and 2020 (EEC-1950507). The goal of the BME-SIM REU program is to broaden participation by providing authentic research experiences to students who are traditionally under-represented in engineering. The BME-SIM program is a 10-week residential summer program that provides students with an authentic research experience, professional development, and mentoring opportunities. The BME-SIM program seeks to foster an environment where all students can be their authentic self, and learning and living occurs in an atmosphere of mutual respect in pursuit of excellence. We strive to provide an environment that encourages engagement and inclusion; and embraces the unique attributes of all students. Over time, and based on participant feedback, our professional development program has evolved to focus on leadership development. Here we describe the evolution of our professional development program and outcomes from 9-years of the program.

Materials and

Methods:  Students are recruited through a two-pronged recruitment plan: a national campaign and targeted regional component. REU faculty mentors carve out small components of active research projects to propose for REU projects. These projects are then vetted to ensure they align with the theme of the site and have a high probability of completion in 10 weeks. Although the research experience is the primary program component, the professional development program is equally important. The students begin their experience in a 2-day research bootcamp, followed by weekly lunch sessions and workshops, and culminating in a poster session. Our program includes sessions on implicit bias, fostering inclusive environments, courageous conversations, cultural champions, leadership, ethics, oral communication, professional networking, and scientific writing. Students also submit abstracts to BMES and reunite at the conference in the fall. Student surveys were completed on the first and last day of the program. Students reported their progress towards mastery of knowledge and skills using a ten-point Likert scale, including confidence in research abilities. Students also completed the URSSA, Mentorship Effectiveness Scale, and Student Leadership Competency Survey. Annual evaluation is on-going to capture extended student outcomes such as application to and completion of graduate programs.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: Over nine cohorts, the BME-SIM program has provided research experiences for 86 students. The program was successful in recruiting a very talented, highly diverse group of students: 35 participants (41%) were from racially or ethnically underrepresented groups; 47 participants (55%) were female; 78 of the participants (91%) attended institutions with limited research opportunities (Carnegie Classification < R2). 63% of participants have pursued graduate education.

Across all outcomes, participants reported near mastery upon completion of the program. Analysis showed no difference in pre-, post-, or gains by race. Analysis by gender showed women and gender minorities had significantly decreased pre- and significantly increased gains, compared to male counterparts, for development of identify as a scientist/engineer, confidence in research skills, and understanding of STEM career opportunities. Therefore, by the end of the program gender gaps were closed. Prior to the program, post-COVID cohorts identified significantly increased knowledge of the research process and significantly decreased knowledge of graduate school and STEM CAREER opportunities compared to pre-COVID cohorts. In most cases, these gaps were closed by end of program except for the importance of graduate school to STEM careers.

Regarding professional development, our first iteration focused on technical skills (modeling basics, software, statistical analysis) and informational sessions on graduate school (how to apply, student panel, essay writing). Our second iteration focused on communication (elevator pitch, professional communication, networking) and writing skills (personal statements, scientific writing) leaving the technical components to the mentors. Through both these iterations, we included several social activities to build a sense of community. One social activity was for the women (faculty and students) to come together to discuss specific gender challenges in STEM. Although this was initially a positive event, the student narrative shifted from “wanting to learn how to handle these situations” to “let’s bring the men in so we aren’t in these situations”. This informed the last iteration of professional development when we added elements related to equity and inclusion (bias, inclusion, courageous conversations) – all of which tied together under the umbrella of leadership. We are currently refining the program based on feedback from the last three cohorts.

Acknowledgements (Optional):  This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1359183, 1659796, and 1950507. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. We would also like to acknowledge the contribution of Zac Domire, former co-PI, and program evaluators.