PURM 14.1 (2026): Developing Career Readiness through Undergraduate Research Participation

Letter from the Guest Editor

Paul Miller, Ph.D.
Professor of Exercise Science, 51

Research Articles

Beyond Career Skills: Student Reflections on their Development through Undergraduate Research
Eden Burt, Joe Wirgau, Ph.D., John Brummette, Ph.D.
Radford University

Career Readiness Through an Alumni Lens: Longitudinal Reflections on Skill Development and Impact from FURSCA Participation
Vicki L. Baker, Ph.D., Elizabeth Palmer, M.S., Vanessa P. McCaffrey, Ph.D.
Albion College

Mentorship and Professional Development: A Qualitative Study of a University and Industry Partnership in Creating a STEM Workforce Pipeline
Ever Barraza1, Winny Dong1, Arezoo Khodayari2, Laurie Barge3, Jessica M. Weber3
1California State Polytechnic University, 2California State University, 3California Institute of Technology

Undergraduate Research in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences: Alumni Personal Development and Professional Outcomes
Kelly Kistner1,Brit Toven-Lindsey2,Erin M. Sparck3,Jacquelyn Ardam3,Laura Ha Reizman3,Marc Levis-Fitzgerald3, Whitney Arnold3
1
, 2University of California, Berkeley, 3University of California, Los Angeles

Using Generative AI to Support Undergraduate Research Reflections to Highlight Career Readiness Competencies
James J. Sadler, Ph.D.
Purdue University

Dialogue

Affectionate Mentorship: Empowering Undergraduates Across Time and Space
Xuan Jiang, Ph.D.1, Nicholas R. Cabezas, M.A.2,Jeann Hernandez, M.A.3
1Florida International University, 2Rice University,3Florida International University

Case Study

Gaining Career Readiness Competencies through the Humanities Undergraduate Research Lab: A Case Study with Student Perspectives
Hannah Budge, B.S.1, Xiomara Castro, B.A.2, Morgan Evans1, Eden Marroquin, B.S.1, Yasamin Osqueezadeh, B.A.1, Ella Stott, B.A.1, Christine Cooper-Rompato, Ph.D.
1Utah State University, 2UC Davis

Research Articles (General submissions)

OPPORTUNITAS: A dialogues reflection on lessons learned by minority alumni from undergraduate research
Lawrence Phillips, B.S.,Fernando Salcedo, B.S.,David Gonzales,B.S.,Elijah Jones,B.S.,Amanda Falade,B.S.,Jahaira Zapata, B.S.,Victoria Carranza, B.S.,Santana Martinez-Symczak, B.S.,Elmer-Rico E. Mojica, Ph.D.
Pace University

Leveraging COVID-era Practices to Robustly Integrate Inclusivity, Access, and Equity into Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs)
Kayla C. Kobak, Ph.D.1,G. Adam Reeves, Ph.D.2, Harojuanis T. Wade, Ph.D.2, Latishya Steele, Ph.D.2, Miranda St. Fleur, Ph.D2.
1Purdue University, 2Stanford University

PURM 14.2 (2026): Federally Funded Undergraduate Research Programs: What is at Stake

Letter from the Guest Editors

Claudia Scholz, Ph.D.
Director for Research Development, University of Virginia

Laura Wagner, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, The Ohio State University

Research Articles

Barriers to Participating in Undergraduate Research: Implications for Hispanic-Serving Institutions
Tissyana C. Camacho, Ph.D., Natalie Schaal, Ph.D., Ricardo Medina, Ph.D., Crist Khachikian, Ph.D., Gabriela Chavira, Ph.D.
California State University, Northridge

Science Identity Development Among Community College Students: A Thematic Analysis of Reflective Blog Posts During a Summer REU
Mirna Mendoza Wilson, Ed.D.,Faiza Zafar, Ph.D., Diego Lopez, M.P.A., Carolyn Nichol, Ph.D., Matthew Cushing, M.S.
Rice University

Making Students STEM Ready: Building a Bridge Between 2-Year and 4-Year Institutions
Julia Zavalam, Ph.D.1, Renee Haskew-Layton, Ph.D.1*, Andrew Lin, M.S.1, Stuart Sidle, Ph.D.1, Genevieve Prezioso, M.S.2, Raylene Luna, M.A.3, Rebecca Eddy, Ph.D.3
1Mercy University, 2Westchester Community College, 3Cobblestone Applied Research & Evaluation, Inc.

Student Perspective

Becoming a Researcher: How NSF REU Participation Creates Self-Determined Researchers
Santiago Duque-Baird, B.S.1,Brianna Huynh, M.S.2, 1University of Delaware, 2California State Polytechnic University–Pomona

Dialogues

Enhancing Undergraduate Research Experiences through Community and Science Communication
London N. Dixon, B.A.1,Sabrina C. Adaba, M.A.2,Sarah E. White, B.A.3,Kathryn Campbell-Kibler, Ph.D.3,Nikole D. Patson, Ph.D.3,Laura Wagner, Ph.D.3
1University of Maryland, 2CUNY Graduate Center, 3The Ohio State University

Undergraduates at Sea: Leveraging a Research Vessel Transit for Mentored Learning and Broadening Participation in Ocean Sciences
M. Kelsey Lane, Ph.D.1, Leda Dowd2, Dakota Baxter, B.S.3, Jamie George, B.S.4,
1Oregon State University, 2University of California, Los Angeles, 3Millersville University of Pennsylvania, 4Coastal Carolina University

How Undergraduate Training Programs Make Science Better: Research We Would Not Have Known Was Needed Without Our Students’ Contributions
Mandy J. Maguire, Ph.D., Candice M. Mills, Ph.D., Jackie Nelson, Ph.D., Pamala Rollins, Ph.D., Jingyi Xu, Ph.D., Raven Bacchas, B.S., Paola Golemon, M.S., Yilin Liu, M.S.
University of Texas at Dallas

Case Studies

Reciprocal Empowerment to Re-humanize Language Sciences: The First Two Cycles of the NSF-REU Intersection of Linguistics, Language and Culture
Isabelle Barrière, Ph.D.1,2, Jonathan Nissenbaum, Ph.D.2, Margareth Lafontant, Ph.D., M.S.Ed.2,3
1Saint Elizabeth University, 2City University of New York, 3Developmental Systems Inc.

Challenges, Opportunities and Outcomes of Developing a Unique REU Program in Biology Focusing on Community College Students
between their First and Second Years
Corey L. Cleland, Ph.D., Bisi T. Velayudhan Ph.D.
James Madison University

Training the Next Generation of Natural Resource Scientists: Outcomes and Benefits of REU and REEU Programs
Ashley N. Schulz, Ph.D., Adam D. Polinko, Ph.D., Steven H. Bullard, Ph.D., Leslie M. Burger, Ph.D., Jasmine D. Hendrix, Ph.D., C. Elizabeth Stokes, Ph.D.
Mississippi State University

From Investment to Impact: How NSF REU Programs Shape STEM Pathways and the Scientific Workforce
Bridget Smith-Konter1,2,
Sloan Coats2,Alyssa Kamanu2,Paul Wessel2
1Northern Arizona University, 2University of Hawai’i at Mānoa

A New REU and RET Paradigm: Bridging Undergraduate Research and K–12 STEM Education
Ms. Tracy Vassiliev1, Douglas J. Gardner, Ph.D.2,David J. Neivandt, Ph.D.2,
1James F. Doughty Middle School, 2University of Maine

13 Years of Undergraduate Heliophysics Research at The University of Alabama in Huntsville and NASA Marshall Space Flight Center
Mehmet Sarp Yalim, Ph.D., Gary Paul Zank, Ph.D.
The University of Alabama

Invited Viewpoint

Sustaining Career Pathway Programs Across the Sciences
Chie Togami, Ph.D.1, Valentina González-Rostani, Ph.D.2, Yeneca Lee, B.A.3, Tania Ramirez, M.A.3, Fernando Tormos-Aponte, Ph.D.3
1State University of New York, 2University of Southern California, 3University of Pittsburgh