Cindy Lustig, Psychology | 2022-2023
Students from historically-marginalized groups, those who are first-generation immigrants or college students, and those from low-income backgrounds (hereafter, under-represented students; URS) are less likely to participate in the research activities that are an important step towards graduate school and obtaining transferable skills for non-academic careers. The Students Tackling Advanced Research (STAR) program takes a multi-pronged, evidence-based approach to addressing this issue. It targets first- and second-year students before they drop out of the “pipeline”. Fall seminars, open to all, provide an initial introduction to research and how to get involved. These allow for mutual assessment of interest, as well serving students unable to participate in the more intensive Winter program. The Winter program includes ~30 URS. It alternates between “all-hands” sessions (faculty talk followed by graduate-student led presentation) and small-group mentoring. Students complete activities that concretely advance them on the path towards research participation (finding labs, polishing CVs, composing introductory emails, mock interviews, etc). Pre/post survey data indicate STAR has been highly successful in improving students’ self-rated knowledge and competence related to becoming involved in research. Many participants in the most recent funding cycle also took advantage of opportunities for additional training. Over half have secured a long-term research position with the goal of eventually completing a senior or honors thesis. In this funding cycle we will further develop our growing emphasis on helping students develop a “science identity” and helping them move to the next stage of the pipeline: becoming involved in a research lab. In addition, we will begin piloting a new program to more formally extend training and mentorship to STAR ‘graduates’. The Mentoring Extension To Empower Outstanding Researchers (METEOR) program will provide 2x/semester meetings to former STARS, delivering continued support and more advanced training, and involving them in near-peer mentorship of new STARS.