Campus Conversation
Investing in Undergraduate Researchers:
The Faculty Perspective
I think the diversity of perceptions, and the unity of passion sparked a very interesting conversation. Some of the faculty from other universities got hold of me at the end and expressed interest (and envy) at what we do and hope to do for undergraduates at AUC. - Amani Elshimi, RHET faculty member and Director of Undergraduate Research
Moderator: Amani ElShimi (CLT)
Higher education institutions across the world are investing in undergraduate inquiry-based learning and research experiences that generate, what the council on undergraduate research defines as "original intellectual or creative contributions to the discipline." AUC is no exception. The new institutional strategic goals commit to quality education and high-impact research. This event brings together seasoned faculty members from different disciplines in a conversation on engaging undergraduate students in hands-on research and innovation, presentation, and scholarly publication experiences. Key issues focus on teaching/mentoring approaches, opportunities, challenges, benefits and outcomes. The institutional role in supporting and forwarding this mission is also discussed.
Members of the audience, students, AUC faculty, faculty from other institutions, and administrators shared their own perspectives on research projects and approaches they use with their students, as well as ideas for things they might explore given institutional support. Among the highlights of the discussion was how faculty benefit from undergraduate involvement in research to include new perspectives for their own work, advancing the knowledge within their disciplines, and envisioning solutions that are “better” or more relevant to a specific problem.
"What I found to be the most interesting was the benefits that research had on the student. It helps students to develop problem solving skills, which would not only help them in their academic life but also in their professional life as well as their social life. Research forces those who conduct it to question their assumptions and to think for themselves. Furthermore, I came to the realization that our knowledge of things is not set in stone. Our perception of things changes as research brings us closer to the truth. It is the path for innovation. This newly realized fact that what today we might know as truth may be proven false tomorrow made me realize that research is a rigorous process that can’t be rushed. Research will not always provide me with answers, which is okay at the end. I walked away from this talk with my learning goals changed. I shouldn’t get frustrated when I can’t find an answer, or when the results were not what I hoped for and should be patient instead. At the end of the day, research only draws us closer to our truth. I should engage in research for the sake of knowledge and nothing else." Hana Elmalky, undergraduate freshman student
26