ED11B-0855
Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences at UC Berkeley's Space Sciences Laboratory - a novel approach to undergraduate internships for first generation community college students
Monday, 14 December 2015
Poster Hall (Moscone South)
Claire L Raftery1, Hilarie B Davis2, Laura M Peticolas3 and Ruth Paglierani1, (1)Space Sciences Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States, (2)Technology for Learning Consortium, Inc., North Kingstown, RI, United States, (3)University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, United States
Abstract:
The Space Sciences Laboratory at UC Berkeley launched an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the summer of 2015. The “Advancing Space Sciences through Undergraduate Research Experiences” (ASSURE) program recruited heavily from local community colleges and universities, and provided a multi-tiered mentorship program for students in the fields of space science and engineering. The program was focussed on providing a supportive environment for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates, many of whom were first generation and underrepresented students. This model provides three levels of mentorship support for the participating interns: 1) the primary research advisor provides academic and professional support. 2) The program coordinator, who meets with the interns multiple times per week, provides personal support and helps the interns to assimilate into the highly competitive environment of the research laboratory. 3) Returning undergraduate interns provided peer support and guidance to the new cohort of students. The impacts of this program on the first generation students and the research mentors, as well as the lessons learned will be discussed.
