Fly-CURE, a multi-institutional CURE using Drosophila, increases students' confidence, sense of belonging, and persistence in research
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
12-2023
Abstract
The Fly-CURE is a genetics-focused multi-institutional Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) that provides undergraduate students with hands-on research experiences within a course. Through the Fly-CURE, undergraduate students at diverse types of higher education institutions across the United States map and characterize novel mutants isolated from a genetic screen in Drosophila melanogaster. To date, more than 20 mutants have been studied across 20 institutions, and our scientific data have led to eleven publications with more than 500 students as authors. To evaluate the impact of the Fly-CURE experience on students, we developed and validated assessment tools to identify students’ perceived research self-efficacy, sense of belonging in science, and intent to pursue additional research opportunities. Our data, collected over three academic years and involving 14 institutions and 480 students, show gains in these metrics after completion of the Fly-CURE across all student subgroups analyzed, including comparisons of gender, academic status, racial and ethnic groups, and parents’ educational background. Importantly, our data also show differential gains in the areas of self-efficacy and interest in seeking additional research opportunities between Fly-CURE students with and without prior research experience, illustrating the positive impact of research exposure (dosage) on student outcomes. Altogether, our data indicate that the Fly-CURE experience has a significant impact on students’ efficacy with research methods, sense of belonging to the scientific research community, and interest in pursuing additional research experiences.
Original Publication Citation
Merkle JA, Devergne O, Kelly SM, Croonquist PA, Evans CJ, Hwalek MA, Straub VL, Hamill DR, Peister A, Puthoff DP, Saville KJ, Siders JL, Villanueva Gonzalez ZJ, Wittke-Thompson JK, Bieser KL, Stamm J, Vrailas-Mortimer AD, Kagey JD.2023.Fly-CURE, a multi-institutional CURE using Drosophila, increases students' confidence, sense of belonging, and persistence in research. J Microbiol Biol Educ.24:e00245-22.https://doi.org/10.1128/jmbe.00245-22
Digital Commons @ LMU & LLS Citation
Markle, Julia A.; Devergne, Olivier; Kelly, Seth M.; Croonquist, Paula A.; Evans, Cory J.; Hwalek, Melanie A.; Straub, Victoria L.; Hamill, Danielle R.; Peister, Alexandra; and Puthoff, David P., "Fly-CURE, a multi-institutional CURE using Drosophila, increases students' confidence, sense of belonging, and persistence in research" (2023). Biology Faculty Works. 191.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/bio_fac/191
