Senior Miguel Rosas explores the undergraduate research process at NAU\u2014its successes, potential improvements, and impact on students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Undergraduate research has always been an important element of what NAU has to offer. Getting student feedback on the research process, and potentially improving components of it, is what drives Miguel Rosas. An Honors College<\/a> double-major in Marketing<\/a> and French<\/a>, Rosas also works in the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity<\/a> (OURCA) on campus as a student administration employee. Their work prompted them to look more closely at what students found rewarding\u2014or not\u2014about the process of undergraduate research, and to conduct their own research project with OURCA Assistant Director Tina Zecher<\/a>. “Examining How Undergraduate Research Experiences Impact Students’ Perceived Growth Towards University Learning Outcomes” focuses on the Hooper Undergraduate Research Award<\/a> (HURA) and its impact on NAU students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe HURA is one of many projects that we have in OURCA; it’s been running since 1999,\u201d says Rosas. \u201cThrough HURA, students can apply for a year-long grant, and if they are accepted, get up to $5,000 to work on a project of their choosing as the principal investigator.\u201d The program is unique to NAU.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HURA’s funding amounts are often significant in comparison to other sources. \u201cI presented this data at Harvard’s National Collegiate Research Conference,” says Rosas, “and many undergraduate researchers from across the country were surprised at the low barrier to entry and the amount of support given for undergraduate research here at NAU. Some came from bigger universities and had to apply for grants of about $500, so being able to get up to $5,000 for research through HURA was a very big deal to them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rosas found that undergraduate research makes a big impact on the student experience, and can also potentially influence the student’s future career. \u201cThe students who participate are more prepared when they enter the workforce or grad school. To have a little bit of research experience already under their belt\u2014especially being the principal investigator as an undergraduate\u2014can be a pretty big deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While Rosas observed the benefits of undergraduate research, they wanted to better understand how students felt research had impacted their lives following the completion of their projects, and potentially how the process could be even better. \u201cThis project, for me, was a good way to get a feel of the impact of the work that I help do with students,” they say. “My job is to get NAU students to learn about our programs and make sure that people are aware of these opportunities available to them. Sometimes after we’ve helped recruit students, it’s a little bit difficult for me to see the impact that we’re having. Not only does it make me feel more passionate about my work, knowing what sort of impact I’m making, but also it helps me better understand where OURCA is lacking in our outreach, and where we can strengthen it moving forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To measure feelings of student satisfaction, Rosas and Zecher constructed a skills assessment for previous undergraduate researchers. \u201cWe looked at data that we took from a pre- and post-assessment for students who participated in the program, and examined how they perceived their own growth in accordance with certain values that the university has outlined as desired learning outcomes. Those values include decision-making, diversity, problem-solving, communication, and self-awareness, which are all values that we think are important in research as well,\u201d Rosas says.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHURA research award fosters career skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Assessing growth in target skills and learning outcomes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n