September 27, 2013

PASSHE holds workshop on undergraduate research

Contact: Kevin Hensil, khensil@passhe.edu

Harrisburg – Representatives from all 14 Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) universities are participating in a workshop this weekend at the Dixon University Center to discuss and develop ways to increase the level of undergraduate research involving students and faculty on each of the campuses.

The workshop is being sponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research, which received a nearly $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation for efforts designed to improve the quality of undergraduate science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education at state college and university systems and private and public consortia.
This weekend’s workshop will provide the universities the opportunity to present and refine their plans for engaging more undergraduate students in research projects with faculty. They will share ideas with their colleagues across the System, and assist each other in developing their final implementation plans. The workshop also will include a variety of breakout sessions on ways to foster a research rich curriculum and how to find funding to support undergraduate research.
Undergraduate research enhances student learning through mentoring relationships with faculty, increases retention rates among students who participate and helps better prepare students for graduate school and their careers.
The Council on Undergraduate Research was founded in 1978 to support and promote high-quality undergraduate student-faculty collaborative research and scholarship. The group includes nearly 10,000 members representing more than 650 colleges and universities.
The Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth, with about 115,000 students. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. About 500,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.
The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the Philadelphia Multi University Center in Philadelphia.