Utilizing the affinity research group model in a summer research experience for undergraduates program

Abstract

In this paper, we describe how we integrated the Affinity Research Group (ARG) model into a 10-week summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) over the last three years. Each summer, ten REU students participated in: an annual two-day team-building orientation; a four day long ramp-up session to learn about REU projects and the skill sets they would need to master; weekly meetings with graduate and faculty mentors to define objectives, deliverables, and progress; and weekly skill development workshops to learn how to conduct research, prepare for future endeavors, and present oneself in professional settings. A total of seven faculty and twelve graduate students participated in ARG model process meetings to ensure students received comparable experiences and facilitated professional development activities. We provide an overview of our REU ARG model experience and reflect on improvements based on faculty mentor, graduate mentor, and undergraduate researchers' experiences.