How Can We Create More Inclusive Undergraduate Research Experiences for People Excluded Because of Their Ethnicity or Race (PEERs)?
It is well established that retaining PEERs in science is integral to addressing socioeconomic inequalities in the United States, ensuring that we include the best and brightest minds in the workforce, and minimizing the influence of bias in scientific research (Intemann, 2009). The term PEERs stands for “people excluded because of their ethnicity or race” and in the U.S. includes people who identify as Black or African American, Latinx or Hispanic, and people indigenous to the spaces comprising the United States and its territories (Asai, 2020).
There are many efforts that we can make at the undergraduate level to positively influence PEER retention in science, including creating more inclusive undergraduate research experiences. In this post, we present four recommendations to help mentors create more inclusive research experiences for PEERs. We have developed these recommendations based on three studies that we have conducted, which identified negative aspects of undergraduate research experiences. The first study we drew from surveyed 768 undergraduates and examined why students leave their undergraduate research experiences (read here: Cooper et al., 2019). The second study explored what factors exacerbate students’ anxiety in research across 1272 undergraduate researchers (Cooper et al., under review), and the final study used in-depth interviews with 35 undergraduates to determine how research experiences can negatively affect undergraduates with depression (Read here: Cooper et al., 2020a and here: Cooper et al., 2020b). The findings of these studies shed light on what we can do as research mentors to make all students feel as though they belong in research.
When students feel that they are working in a negative lab environment, they are more likely to leave research and it can increase their anxiety (Cooper et al., 2019; Cooper et al., under review). A negative lab environment is one where students may have poor relationships with others in the lab besides the principal investigator (PI), and/or where there is a bad vibe or feel to the lab. As the leader of a lab, the PI needs to first set a positive tone, which can positively influence the mood of graduate students, which in turn can positively affect undergraduates in the lab. Coordinating social gatherings with the people in the lab, such as a hiking trip or potluck, can also help build a collaborative environment and a sense of belonging for each member of the lab.
These recommendations provide concrete ways in which mentors can work to make their labs more inclusive so that students with diverse identities are willing and able to participate in research for as long as possible. For more information about the studies that informed these recommendations, please watch our 45-minute Research For Inclusive Stem Education Seminar: Why persons exclude because of their ethnicity or race (PEERs) are leaving undergraduate research experiences.
Cooper, K. M., Soneral, P. A., & Brownell, S. E. (2017). Define your goals before you design a CURE: a call to use backward design in planning course-based undergraduate research experiences. Journal of microbiology & biology education, 18(2).
Cooper, K. M., Gin, L. E., Akeeh, B., Clark, C. E., Hunter, J. S., Roderick, T. B., ... & Scott, R. A. (2019). Factors that predict life sciences student persistence in undergraduate research experiences. PloS one, 14(8), e0220186.
Cooper, K. M., Gin, L. E., Barnes, M. E., & Brownell, S. E. (2020). An exploratory study of students with depression in undergraduate research experiences. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(2), ar19.
Cooper, K. M., Gin, L. E., & Brownell, S. E. (2020). Depression as a concealable stigmatized identity: what influences whether students conceal or reveal their depression in undergraduate research experiences?. International Journal of STEM Education, 7(1), 1-18.
Intemann, K. (2009). Why diversity matters: Understanding and applying the diversity component of the National Science Foundation’s broader impacts criterion. Social Epistemology, 23(3-4), 249-266.
Cindy Vargas is a first-year Ph.D. student in the Coastal Fisheries and Megafauna Lab at Arizona State University. She is interested in how to improve the management and sustainability of small-scale fisheries in Baja California Sur, Mexico as well as reducing marine megafauna bycatch using emerging technologies.
Katey Cooper is an Assistant Professor in the School of Life Sciences. She heads the Cooper Biology Education Research Lab, which examines how to make biology learning environments more inclusive for students with different identities
There are many efforts that we can make at the undergraduate level to positively influence PEER retention in science, including creating more inclusive undergraduate research experiences. In this post, we present four recommendations to help mentors create more inclusive research experiences for PEERs. We have developed these recommendations based on three studies that we have conducted, which identified negative aspects of undergraduate research experiences. The first study we drew from surveyed 768 undergraduates and examined why students leave their undergraduate research experiences (read here: Cooper et al., 2019). The second study explored what factors exacerbate students’ anxiety in research across 1272 undergraduate researchers (Cooper et al., under review), and the final study used in-depth interviews with 35 undergraduates to determine how research experiences can negatively affect undergraduates with depression (Read here: Cooper et al., 2020a and here: Cooper et al., 2020b). The findings of these studies shed light on what we can do as research mentors to make all students feel as though they belong in research.
What can we do to make undergraduate research experiences more inclusive for PEERs?
Provide the student’s perception of sufficient guidance.
Not having sufficient guidance in research can exacerbate student anxiety and depression and also cause them to leave research (Cooper et al., 2019, Cooper et al., 2020a, Cooper et al., under review). As such, it is important to make sure that undergraduates feel as though they have enough guidance when doing their research. For example, demonstrating techniques or procedures can help students feel more confident in their ability to complete a research task. Additionally, sending daily emails, direct messages through Slack, or in any other messaging platform, as well as setting up weekly or biweekly short individual meetings not only gives the undergraduate a chance to ask questions, but also gives the opportunity for the mentor to identify where the student is struggling. Making sure that undergraduates can easily communicate with their mentor is key to providing support and guidance.
Build relationships and praise/encourage mentees.
When students feel as though they have negative relationships with their research mentors it can cause them to leave their research experience (Cooper et al., 2019). It also has been shown to increase anxiety and depression (Cooper et al., under review Cooper et al., 2020a). In order to build a positive relationship with undergraduate researchers, mentors can ask students about their life outside of research and/or how the student is doing in their classes. Praising and encouraging mentees in research can also have a positive impact on mentor-mentee relationships. This is especially important for students with depression who are often their biggest critics. Also, simply being present in the lab while the undergraduate is working provides the opportunity to start conversations and build relationships.Backward design research experiences to ensure students gain skills and knowledge.
Students who do not feel as though they are gaining skills and knowledge from their research experience are more likely to leave than their counterparts who do not feel this way (Cooper et al., 2019). Given that students are often paying to enroll in undergraduate research for credit or volunteering their time to do research, we owe it to them to ensure that they are obtaining a unique skill set and knowledge base. One way to be sure that undergraduates benefit from research is to backward design their experience (Cooper et al., 2017). When backward designing a research experience, mentors start by talking with the student about what they want to learn from the experience. Then, mentors integrate activities into the research experience (e.g. weekly research write-ups, training on a software program) to make sure that the student will achieve their goals.Set the tone for a positive and collaborative lab environment.
These recommendations provide concrete ways in which mentors can work to make their labs more inclusive so that students with diverse identities are willing and able to participate in research for as long as possible. For more information about the studies that informed these recommendations, please watch our 45-minute Research For Inclusive Stem Education Seminar: Why persons exclude because of their ethnicity or race (PEERs) are leaving undergraduate research experiences.
References
Asai, D. J. (2020). Race matters. Cell, 181(4), 754-757.Cooper, K. M., Soneral, P. A., & Brownell, S. E. (2017). Define your goals before you design a CURE: a call to use backward design in planning course-based undergraduate research experiences. Journal of microbiology & biology education, 18(2).
Cooper, K. M., Gin, L. E., Akeeh, B., Clark, C. E., Hunter, J. S., Roderick, T. B., ... & Scott, R. A. (2019). Factors that predict life sciences student persistence in undergraduate research experiences. PloS one, 14(8), e0220186.
Cooper, K. M., Gin, L. E., Barnes, M. E., & Brownell, S. E. (2020). An exploratory study of students with depression in undergraduate research experiences. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 19(2), ar19.
Cooper, K. M., Gin, L. E., & Brownell, S. E. (2020). Depression as a concealable stigmatized identity: what influences whether students conceal or reveal their depression in undergraduate research experiences?. International Journal of STEM Education, 7(1), 1-18.
Intemann, K. (2009). Why diversity matters: Understanding and applying the diversity component of the National Science Foundation’s broader impacts criterion. Social Epistemology, 23(3-4), 249-266.
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