Undergraduate Research Projects

According to the American Association of Colleges & Universities (2007), Undergraduate Research is included in a set of verifiable, effective educational practices that are correlated with positive educational results for students from widely varying backgrounds (see “High-Impact Educational Practices: A Brief Overview,”, pp.9-11). In connection with the AAC&U essential learning outcomes, Undergraduate Research fosters broad knowledge of human cultures and the natural world, strengthens intellectual and practical skills, and it is a practice of interactive and applied learning.

At Mesa Community College, Undergraduate Research (UGR) experiences occur in all disciplines. MCC’s HSI-STEM: Guided Pathways Enhancement Project aims to increase faculty and student engagement with undergraduate research as a way to increase student persistence, successful completion, graduation, and transfer. In these videos, students from MCC share the benefits of participating in undergraduate research.

Benefits of Undergraduate Research Experiences

The HSI-STEM grant supports two types of research: Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) and undergraduate research internships. Grant funds are available for

  • research project supplies,
  • faculty development projects including faculty-faculty project development mentorship,
  • hourly wages for grant-eligible students completing undergraduate research internships,
  • tuition scholarship for grant-eligible students completing undergraduate research internships in a one-credit special projects course, and
  • grant-eligible student and faculty travel funds for symposium awards.
Supplies Request Form
Student UGR Internship Interest Form

What are Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences?

Faculty integrate undergraduate research into regularly scheduled courses. The CURE projects are offered as an assignment option or a course requirement for all students. Students document the project by creating a research poster.

What are Undergraduate Research Internships?

Faculty recruit students for undergraduate research internships to contribute to an original research project. Students document the project by creating a research poster.

Faculty Undergraduate Research Development Projects

Projects are funded for development during the spring to summer terms.

Develop a New UGR Project

Approved faculty applicants that complete the items listed below will be eligible for a $1500 one-time payment.

  1. Complete the UGR faculty development project application.
  2. Participate in UGR community of practice meetings to discuss projects and develop together. These meetings will be scheduled to accommodate participant schedules during the semester.
  3. Meet regularly with your assigned mentor and develop a project.
  4. Integrate a student research poster as part of the project plan.
  5. Share the project plan with your department.

Implement a UGR Project

  1. Special Projects UGR Internship ONLY:
    • Identify students that will enroll into the special projects course (Z formula funding applies). Grant-eligible students may qualify for undergraduate research hourly pay: Student interest form
    • Complete the project overview document.
  2. Request UGR project supplies.
  3. Implement the UGR project.
  4. Participate in UGR community of practice meetings to discuss projects and develop together. These meetings will be scheduled to accommodate participant schedules during the semester.

Mentor Faculty Developing a New UGR Project

Approved faculty mentors that complete the items listed below will be eligible for a $350 one-time payment.

  1. Submit the UGR faculty-to-faculty mentor form.
  2. Determine if you will mentor faculty that are developing a course-based project or original research offered as a special projects course for UGR internships.
  3. Participate in UGR community of practice meetings to discuss projects and develop together. These meetings will be scheduled to accommodate participant schedules during the semester.
  4. Document regular meetings with your assigned mentee.

Funded by a U.S. Department of Education Title III HSI-STEM grant.