Professor of Physics and Astronomy University of Missouri-Kansas City Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Program Abstract: To address the growing need for STEM talent and enhance opportunities for individuals from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, national STEM education and workforce development experts endorse the adoption of effective higher education practices that enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills through practical applications. We developed a flexible approach to create reusable interactive learning content aimed at making undergraduate research experiences more accessible and effective. Our Research Preparation Tutorials (RPTs), each spanning 10-20 hours, offer structured training in research concepts, tools, and methods, tailored to the needs of individual faculty for recruitment and training. Collaborating with research domain experts, we have successfully implemented over 50 unique RPTs across eight STEM disciplines. This presentation will detail the design and implementation methodology of RPTs and examine student outcomes and survey data, demonstrating the effectiveness of RPTs in improving research accessibility and workforce readiness.
