CUR Transformations Project: Faculty-Driven Curriculum Change to Advance Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Work

BSU has a strong history of engaging students in undergraduate research (UR), starting with a faculty-led initiative 20 years ago to our present, nationally-recognized UR program. The next stage is faculty-driven curriculum change that promotes equitable student access to UR and integration of research mentoring into teaching loads. BSU has been awarded an NSF-funded grant from the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) to vertically integrate UR throughout backward-designed four-year curricula, beginning with the Chemistry and Psychology departments. The goals are to increase retention and student success by embedding UR skills in inquiry-driven courses. This project has broad institutional implications, as it aims for equity in the high-impact practice of UR, rethinking faculty workload, and large-scale assessment of processes and results. We will describe the work we have accomplished so far including our plans for faculty development, assessment, and dissemination of results. Panelists will provide brief overviews and then encourage audience discussion