Pacific Rim Experiences for
Undergraduates (PRIME):
A Model of Real World Engagement: Experiential
Learning Within a Global Research Community
Peter Arzberger, Jim Galvin, Jason Haga,
Tricia Taylor, Gabriele Wienhausen
26 January 2012
Sixth College Experiential Learning Conference
Prime Skills for Students
• Concepts and new developments in science and technology
82%
• Teamwork skills and the ability to collaborate with others in diverse group settings
76%
• The ability to apply knowledge and skills to real-world settings through internships or other
hands-on experiences
73%
• The ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing
73%
• Critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills
73%
• Global issues and developments and their implications for the future
72%
• The ability to locate, organize, and evaluate information from multiple sources
70%
• The ability to be innovative and think creatively
70%
• The ability to solve complex problems
64%
• The ability to work with numbers and understand statistics
60%
• The role of the United States in the world
60%
• A sense of integrity and ethics
56%
• Cultural values and traditions in America and other countries
53%
How Should Colleges Prepare Students To Succeed in Today’s Global Economy?
AAC&U/Peter D. Hart Research Associates Inc., 2006.
The Stakes are High
“What nations don’t know can hurt
them. The stakes involved in study
abroad are that simple, that
straightforward, and that important. …
college graduates today must be
internationally competent.” (Lincoln
Report, 2005)
"Your pursuit of the biological and behavioral sciences should
indeed improve the competitiveness of the United States. But,
if you pursue international research experiences and
opportunities, you will contribute substantially to your own
development as scientists and that of the nation." (Dr. Cora
Marrett, Deputy Director NSF, 2011)
Institute for International Education
“Opening Minds to the World”
• Recent report 2011 on percentage of
U.S. students abroad
– Engineering:
• 10,554
• 3.9% of total students abroad
– Math and CS:
• 4,059
• 1.5% of total students abroad
• Participation of students in study
abroad (percent of total in U.S.)
– Higher education: 1.4%
– Undergrads: 9.5%
– Undergrads pursuing degrees: 14.0%
Peace and prosperity around the
world depend on increasing the
capacity of people to think and
work on a global and
intercultural basis.
Overview
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PRIME Model and Framework
Insights from Previous Students
Future
Challenges
Panel Discussion
Pacific Rim Experiences for
Undergraduate (PRIME)
• Create globally minded STEM professionals
• PRIME is an immersive, experiential global educational
experience (summer internship)
• Students learn “how to learn” new skills applied to real
world problems, which are complex and require a team
approach
• STEM curricula are packed, i.e. no time to engage in a
significant international experience
• Acts as an interdisciplinary bridge with engineering and
physical/life science and flexibly integrates into a STEM
curriculum
PRIME Components
Campus Partners
Contribution
PRAGMA
Pacific Rim Community: host students;
nurtures next generation
Faculty and Researchers
Mentors students
International Center
Cultural competency training
AIP
Credit for project work
Sixth College
Matches theme of practicum with PRIME
Calit2 and ORUs
Provides research scientists
PRIME Model
Inputs
Outcomes – Impact
Outputs
Activities
Participation
Short Term
Medium Term
Long Term
Define research
projects
Mentors (UCSD)
Mentors
(International)
Technology
Staff/administrati
on
Funding
Provide training
to perform
research
Provide
exposure to new
culture
Provide
professional
development
Create/sustain
collaborations
Research
experience
Undergraduate
students (UCSD)
Undergraduate/G
raduate students
(Host)
Publications
Software
Cultural
awareness
Sustainable
collaborations
Host-site
researchers
Globally aware
workforce
Student career
choice
Sustainable
program
PRIME Learning Goals and Outcomes
• Goals
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Give students concepts and new developments in science and technology
Function effectively in multinational work environments
Assimilate comfortably into different world cultures and work environments
Recognize how discipline is practiced in an international context
• Outcomes
– Improved research skills
– New direction and skills for job/career path
– New perspectives on U.S. society and culture and on the U.S. role in the world
• Soft Skills
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Communication skills
Ability to be a team member and to take on leadership roles in a team
Critical thinking skills
Cross-cultural skills and perspectives
Tolerance for ambiguity, civic engagement
Self-confidence, independence, flexibility, being reflective
Self-knowledge, reevaluation of personal values
PRIME Host and Mentor Sites
Research Apprenticeship; Cultural Experience
Osaka U
NICT
Doshisha
Japan
CNIC
China
UCSD
USA
NCHC
NCREE
NTU
TFRI
Taiwan
USM
Malaysia
Monash U
Australia
Source Cindy Zheng
U Auckland
New Zealand
Host sites: Osaka U Doshisha U and NICT Japan;
Monash, Australia; CNIC, China; USM, Malaysia
U Auckland, New Zealand; U Hyderabad India; NCHC and NCREE, NTU, TFRI Taiwan.
PRIME Data
2004-2011
156 students (73 female)
Major
Number
Host
Number
Bioeng
52
CNIC
16
CS, CSE, ECE
40
Monash
37
Aero, Mech, Struct, EngPhys
20
NCHC
12
Bio
31
Osaka
31
Other Science (CogSci, Chem)
11
USM
9
Other (Vis Arts)
2
U
Auckland
10
NTU
3
TFRI
3
Doshisha
10
NICT
7
Other
11
Total
156
PRIME Interdisciplinary Research
"I've learned that the real world isn't divided into majors, and most
work requires knowledge of many areas of science and engineering."
Ranmali Perera, PRIME 2008
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Structural biology
Bioengineering
Geoscience
Visualization
Earthquake engineering
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Environmental engineering
Visual arts
Cultural heritage
Computational chemistry
Computer science
PRAGMA Collaborative Overview
goc.pragma-grid.net/pragma-doc/overview/2011.pdf
Student Perspective
• Jade Kwan, PRIME 2009
– NICT, Tokyo, Japan
– Tokyo: Inspired and Shaped
• Brian Tsui, PRIME 2011
– Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
– A PRIME experience doing
research at Osaka University
PRIME Future
• Sustainability
– Financial: PRIME program funding is ending
– People: maintaining the mentor network
– Development: expansion of program
• Assessment of program impact
• Develop future leadership
– Students: identify components that need to be
enhanced/added such as: communication, mentoring,
team building
– Mentors: create professional development component
for research scientists, post-docs, grad students
acting as PRIME mentors
PRIME Challenges
• Sustainability
– Financial: access and affordability for students (e.g.
student fees)
– People: administration and mentors, UCSD
endorsement/support
– Development: program diversity, scaling, and "freshness"
• Assessment of impact
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Students
Mentors
Host site
Research programs
• Crossover between academic units (paradigm shift)
Sponsors
• National Science Foundation
• UCSD: Fellowships, AIP,
International Center, Department of
Bioengineering; Calit2
• NBCR via NIH award
• GLEON via Gordon and Betty
Moore Foundation program
• PRAGMA members
• PRIME host sites (All, USM,NICT)
Panel Discussion
Peter Arzberger, Jim Galvin, Jason Haga,
Tricia Taylor, Gabriele Wienhausen
Isabelle Fanchiu, Brian Tsui