The Big Dividends of a Small Undergraduate Research Group.

Undergraduate research groups offer students great opportunities to gain valuable experience in the field and the laboratory and to apply theories and techniques learned in the classroom to meaningful research problems. However, conducting undergraduate research at a primarily teaching institution at times offers unique challenges. What perhaps make the Environmental Studies Undergraduate Research Group at St. Cloud State University unique is that while research theories, design and techniques are still stressed, the group is: 1) student lead and mentored and 2) strongly focused on professional development rather than “cutting-edge” research. While faculty act as advisors who work directly with the students on experimental design and execution, the group itself is lead by an undergraduate student. This research group leader chairs meetings where students discuss progress and problems. Graduate students are also invited to participate in the group as mentors. Because of the funding, equipment and instrumentation constraints, one of the main focuses of the group is to strengthen the professional development of the undergraduate researchers rather than to attempt “cutting-edge” research. Along with research responsibilities, group members also develop resumes, write research proposals, apply for grants, improve presentation skills, disseminate their findings, join professional societies and serve their community. In the past four years, nearly a half of the research group members have: 1) received the highest undergraduate student research award in the college, 2) have obtained grant funding for research and travel, 3) joined two or more professional societies and 4) given papers at international meetings. Furthermore, all who have applied to graduate school and for graduate assistantship positions have received favorable decisions from the university of their choice.