REU Pathways to Engineering: A digital REU mentoring manual

Institute For Broadening Participation, South Portland ME

Investigators

Abstract

This engineering education research project explores how to create on-line social networks for Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) students. These networks will be used to provide a support network for students to interact both with peers--other REU student--as well as faculty mentors. Through the process of building and maintaining an REU support network at one test site, the project seeks to understand effective practices for mentoring REU students. The resulting compendium of best practices will be widely distributed to REU participants including faculty and administrators. The broader significance and importance of this project is to learn how to create strong support networks for REU students. Such support networks will enable REU students, some of whom have few opportunities to interact with a larger peer group, to more broadly interact with other REU students and faculty. Such support networks can be particularly advantageous for under-represented groups in STEM fields. By compiling a "digital handbook" of best mentoring practices, the project may improve the impact of REU programs across a wide range of STEM disciplines.