CURE-Purdue accepting applications to design course-based undergraduate research

The CURE-Purdue Professional Development Program within the Office of Undergraduate Research is now accepting applications from instructors of any discipline for the 2022-23 academic year.

CURE-Purdue seeks to increase the number of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) across the West Lafayette campus as a way to increase undergraduate students' overall access to novel, authentic research. The program also provides instructors with the time and framework for designing a CURE, either by transforming an existing course or developing a new one.

CUREs have a number of attractive features and yield positive outcomes for both faculty and students, according to Amy Childress, director of the Office of Undergraduate Research. CUREs increase the overall capacity for undergraduate research by operating at a larger scale than the traditional apprenticeship model. They also increase inclusion by allowing any eligible student to enroll.

Research findings suggest additional benefits to faculty, including greater enjoyment when teaching CUREs over traditional courses, easier integration of research and teaching, opportunity to advance their research agenda, and positive impact on promotion and tenure. Past participants have reported that the workshop provides critical support in “aligning expectations and understanding best practices is transformative for increasing equity and excellence in teaching CUREs” as well as enabling them to “make … mentoring more effective in course-based undergraduate research at a larger scale.”

The program is composed of four mandatory components:

1. A workshop in mid-June in a flipped format with asynchronous preparatory work and a two-day synchronous in-person workshop.
2. One-on-one faculty mentor consultation support following the summer program.
3. Continued faculty mentor guidance and access to resources during the implementation and assessment of their CURE.
4. Mentor and peer support via community of practice virtual "brown bag" lunch meetings during the 2022-23 academic year.

Instructors selected for the program will earn $2,000 in unrestricted funding upon completion of the summer workshop and implementation of the course during the upcoming academic year. Applications from teams of instructors and instructional staff (including graduate teaching assistants) are welcome, but teams would receive a single funding stipend ($2,000) with the completion of all program requirements. Department head approval is required for participation.

Interested instructors can submit an initial application form online. Applications are due on March 30 for review that will begin on April 1. Applications will be accepted and reviews will continue until all slots are full. The program leadership team anticipates accepting up to 20 instructors/instructor teams. Colleges may expand participation with a limited number of fellowships through the full financial support of additional instructors and faculty mentors. Selected participants will complete a more detailed questionnaire regarding their research and teaching interests approximately 4-6 weeks in advance of the workshop scheduled . 

More information is available on the CURE-Purdue website. Instructors should direct questions about the program to Stephanie Gardner at sgardne@purdue.edu.