7. Wider Horizons: Fostering a Culture of Undergraduate Research

Abstract

This essay synthesizes our roundtable discussion about how to develop a campus culture of undergraduate research. Our discussion began with descriptions of the University of Alberta, Augustana’s initiatives: Independent Studies courses, the Student Academic Conference, and summer research assistantships. Common concerns from roundtable participants included whether or not student access to undergraduate research should be limited by grade point average, how to implement undergraduate research from first to final year of student degree programs, how to fund undergraduate research, and finally how to approach undergraduate research across the academy.