Institutes

2021 CURE Institute

The 2021 CURE Institute provides an opportunity for faculty, administrators, professional staff, academic and community educational partners, and policy-makers to collaborate on developing capacity for course-based undergraduate research activities at all types of higher education institutions. The overall goals of the Institute are to highlight the value of course-based undergraduate research projects for two- and four- year colleges, universities and communities, and to broaden the opportunities for undergraduates to participate in these projects.

In support of these efforts, the Institute has two offerings: a virtual conference (open to all) and a hands-on workshop for a developed CURE project in Metagenomics (open to 14 participants). In both offerings, we will offer practical strategies for implementing CUREs. The overall schedule for the virtual conference is comprised of six modules, breakout sessions, and an opportunity to network with colleagues. The overall schedule for the hands-on workshop is comprised of experimental and data analysis modules for the entire workflow of a metagenomics CURE.

Virtual Conference - August 10, 2021
Hands-On Metagenomics Workshop - August 11-13, 2021

The Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) Program at Bowie State University will hold its 2021 CURE Institute to assist participants in learning about and using evidence-based instructional strategies to develop plans, instructional materials, and assessment tools for integrating a science research project into their science laboratory course. Primarily focused on the life sciences, participants from other natural sciences and the social sciences are welcomed.

Conference Location: Virtual
Conference Date: August 10, 2021
Cost: free

A CURE involves an entire class of undergraduate students in addressing a research question or problem that is of interest to a broader community, such as the scientific community or other stakeholder outside the classroom (e.g., a community organization such as a research refuge, a reserve, or other governing authority).

The overarching goal of the CURE Institute is to build faculty and institutional capacity to design and implement CUREs in specific disciplines, primarily in the natural and social sciences. Institute sessions incorporate research on experiential learning and research experiences and will make use of active learning and equitable teaching strategies. Institute sessions allow ample time for participants to apply what they are learning to design their CUREs and get feedback on their course design.

Application and Selection Criteria

The CURE Institute is for faculty, administrators, professional staff, or policy-adjacent stakeholders who wish to incorporate meaningful research experiences in undergraduate courses. In addition, any faculty who plans to teach a CURE in the natural or social sciences is may apply. A CURE involves an entire class of undergraduate students in addressing a research question or problem that is of interest to a broader community, such as the scientific community or other stakeholder outside the classroom (e.g., a community organization such as a watershed group). Individuals who are new to CURE instruction, who are teaching introductory level courses, and/or who were teaching at colleges or universities that enroll traditionally under-served populations (e.g., under-represented minority students, first-generation college students) are welcome to apply.

In complement to the CURE Institute Virtual Conference, a limited number of participants will be selected to participate in a hands-on workshop in-person at Bowie State University. This highly hands-on workshop is designed to familiarize users with implementing Metagenomics as a viable research stream for upper-level science courses.

Conference Location: Bowie State University, 14000 Jericho Park Rd, Bowie, MD 20715
Conference Date: August 11-13, 2021
Limited to 14 participants

Metagenomics is the study of a collection of genetic material (genomes) recovered directly from a mixed community of organisms and from environmental samples. We will review the entire workflow from sample collection to computational analysis and interpretation of sequence data. Participants will complete hands-on exercises involving comparative analysis, visualization and interpretation of genomic and metagenomics datasets. They will apply these workflows to personal user-defined projects and present findings. The workshop also includes brief overviews of sequencing, assembly, metadata curation and annotation. The workshop will focus on the key concepts in CURE project development process.

Who should attend this workshop?

This workshop is primarily aimed at research or teaching faculty with background in molecular biology, experimental biology, computational biology, or related field in the sciences.

We expect most applicants will have some basic understanding of microbiology, biochemistry or molecular biology, and computational biology concepts (e.g., multiple sequence alignment, phylogenetic tree construction). Although this workshop centers on computational topics, no programming knowledge is required. We will provide all materials. Faculty selected may receive a small stipend to defray the cost of in-person attendance.

Because of the limited seats available due to social distancing restrictions, individuals who are new to CURE instruction and/or who were teaching at colleges or universities that enroll traditionally under-served populations (e.g., under-represented minority students, first-generation college students) will be prioritized. A letter of nomination from an institutional supervisor or administrator will be used as supporting documentation for selection.

Previous CURE Institutes

2018 CURE Institute at Bowie State University

Bowie State University (BSU) and the Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences Network (CUREnet) held a CURE Institute in 2018. The institute was hosted by Dr. George Ude (BSU) and facilitated by Dr. Erin Dolan (University of Georgia), who are principal investigators of CUREnet2, the next phase of development of a national network of people and programs creating, teaching, and assessing CUREs.

2018 CURE Institute Goals

The overarching goal of the CURE Institutes was to build faculty capacity to design and implement CUREs in the natural and social sciences. All institute sessions are designed based on research on learning in general and undergraduate research experiences in particular, will make use of active learning and equitable teaching strategies, interspersed with time for participants to apply what they are learning to design their CUREs and get feedback on their design. Participants were expected to engage actively and implement their CUREs within one year of completing the Institute. All Institute participants received a certificate of acknowledgment.

Dates

The Institute ran from Thursday, October 25, 2018 – Saturday, October 27, 2018.