What Students Want in an Undergraduate Research Mentor

Most students enter into an undergraduate research experience seeking personal growth and items to enhance their resume (Whitten & Mottarella, 2008). The vast majority of undergraduates who participate in research have a positive experience. They report gains of different kinds including personal/ professional gains, increased knowledge of the research/scientific process, acquiring new skills, advancing career plans and preparing for these (see Seymour, Hunter, Laursen, & Deantoni, 2004, for a review). However, few have investigated the qualities that make a successful undergraduate research mentor (Daly & Leong, 2009). What qualities do students value? Are these qualities the same for those who are successfully enrolled in a graduate program compared to those who are in the process of completing their undergraduate program? UCF graduate and undergraduate students in psychology will be given a comprehensive survey that addresses the qualities and methods that were most supportive of their success. The implications of these goals for faculty research mentors will be discussed