REU Sites: Much More than a Research
Experience for Undergraduates
Miguel A. Labrador
Cesar D. Guerrero
Rafael Perez
Department of Computer Science and Engineering
University of South Florida
Tampa, FL 33620
{labrador, guerrerc, perez}@cse.usf.edu
ASEE-2008
Pittsburgh - Pennsylvania
Outline
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REU Site at USF
Main components
Additional Components
Results
Conclusions
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REU Site at USF
A Computer Science and Engineering REU Site for Florida,
Puerto Rico, and Latin America
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Provide a broad range of research
project options in computer science
and engineering
Recruit under-represented minority
students mainly from Puerto Rico and
Florida
Include international students
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Main Components
Recruitment
Plan
Administration
Time
Program
Evaluation
Social and
Educational
Components
Projects and
Mentors
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Main Components
Recruitment Plan
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Set up a website and
advertise it.
Program Flyer.
Talks in technical
societies and minority
organization
meetings
Personal visits to
target institutions
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Main Components
Program Evaluation
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Define a program evaluation guide based on program
objectives.
Collect information before, during, and after the
program.
Evaluate not only students but mentors experiences.
Evaluate the long-term impact on the students’ lives
and careers.
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Main Components
Projects and Mentors
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Advertise projects before students apply.
Have backup projects and mentors.
Involve mentors in the selection process.
Make sure the students have all they need to
perform the assigned project before they
arrive.
Make sure students are making progress and
help mentors in addressing problems if they
exist.
Provide mentors with some sort of gift or token
of appreciation
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Main Components
Social and Educational Components
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Social activities depend on the city in which
the program is located.
Transportation has to be planned with each
activity.
Workshops.
Students formal presentations.
Poster competition.
Coordinate joint activities with other REU
programs running at your university.
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Main Components
Administration time
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REU site administration is time consuming usually
underestimated.
Make a weekly plan of activities or a to-do list to be
updated every year.
Start planning early (at least four months before the
program starts).
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Additional Components
Extending
the Summer
REU
Experience
The
“Reverse”
International
Component
Graduate
Student Mentors
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Additional Components
The “Reverse” International Component
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Bringing international students to
participate in your REU program in the
U.S.
USF allocates around $7,500 to bring one
student per year.
International students are carefully
selected in their home institution: they are
of prime quality.
Real cultural exchange occurs.
Leads to new opportunities for
collaboration in academic and research
areas.
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Additional Components
Graduate Student Mentors
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Faculty Mentors experience difficulties in
committing enough time to the REU
program
By mentoring undergraduates, graduate
students can enhance their research
projects
Developing mentoring skills is a key
factor for those graduate students
having academic careers in mind.
REU students may consider the
Graduate Student as a more
approachable mentor.
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Additional Components
Extending the Summer REU Experience
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Involving the REU students in a part time, 10
hrs/week, REU experience over the
subsequent fall and spring semesters.
Establishing one-to-one relationship with the
students’ advisors or mentors in their
respective institutions.
Publishing the students’ research in
prestigious conferences and journals
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Results
REU students participation (2005-2007)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Totals
No. of applications
42
63
73
178
No. of students accepted
14
14
13
41
Acceptance ratio
33%
22%
18%
23%
Males
10
10
12
32
Females
4
4
1
9
Hispanics
11
9
7
27
African Americans
2
1
0
3
Caucasians
1
2
5
8
Others
0
2
1
3
No. of International students
3
2
1
6
% minority participation
93%
71%
54%
73%
No. of projects
9
12
12
33
No. of faculty mentors
11
8
8
27
No. of graduate student mentors
2
9
6
17
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Results
REU students performance (2005-2007)
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Totals
No. of participants
14
14
13
41
No. of students who graduated
12
10
N/A
22
No. of students still in college
No. of students who dropped out of
college
No. of students who joined graduate
school
No. of students who joined the
workforce
Students looking for jobs
No. of students applying to graduate
schools
2
4
N/A
6
0
0
N/A
0
3
2
N/A
5
7
4
N/A
11
2
2
N/A
4
0
2
N/A
2
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53%
73%
Conclusions
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REU ameliorates dropout rates, graduation rates, and
enrollment in graduate school.
Main components of a successful REU site were
presented.
The “reverse” international component is a low-cost
and highly beneficial initiative.
Involving graduate students as mentors provides
additional support to faculty and undergraduate
students.
Extending the REU experience beyond the summer
can materialize technical publications.
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Thanks!
Questions?
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