A Pound of CURE: A Case for A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) at a Community College
M. Erin Riggins
Science Department, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, Gulfport, MS
There is a STEM degree deficit in the US, especially in states such as Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Current challenges for young researchers center on the lack of early access to undergraduate research. It is believed that if young researchers are provided early access to mentors and training in research methods, they will be more successful due to the early development of collaborations, interpersonal skills, and the ability to balance stresses of school, work, and everyday life. This mentored research setting was meant to prevent the fragmented knowledge between concepts and research topics often seen with undergraduate researchers. The approach was a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) to integrate the teaching-learning dynamic while also allowing employment of scientific processes to complete unique investigations. A two-part series of Biomedical Research courses were implemented at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. The target population was freshman and sophomore students with little science background. Each course, Biomedical Research I and Biomedical Research II, spanned an entire semester and was offered as a 1-hr credit course. Biomedical Research I provides instructor-centered training for biomedical research techniques, while Biomedical Research II offers a student-centered opportunity for an independent scientific investigation. This early access supported success and motivation of these young scientists and encouraged them to apply for research fellowships and opportunities at their transfer institutions. The increased interest in these courses has encouraged the College to offer these courses again, thereby increasing and diversifying the future pipeline of biomedical and health science researchers.