Physics Colloquium: Dr. Alexandra Werth

Dr. Alexandra Werth (JILA and Department of Physics, University of Colorado Boulder ) will present a colloquium titled "Am I doing real research? Students’ perceptions of authenticity during a course-based undergraduate research experience." The event is open to the campus community, but assumes 1-2 years of physics courses as background. Come early for cookies with the Physics Club, starting at 4:10!

Abstract: There have been recent calls to create more opportunities for students to participate in authentic research experiences in order to increase undergraduate persistence, interest, and identity within the sciences. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs), where students engage in authentic scientific discovery in which they answer a question where the answer is initially unknown to both students and the scientific community, is one proposed way of doing this. Here, I present student experiences with authentic research in a large, introductory physics CURE conducted remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic. We use student responses to a closed-response survey question, as well as written responses to an open-ended end-of-course assignment to investigate what aspects of real research students felt that they participated in and the extent to which students felt that they participated in authentic research. Most students in the course felt like they engaged in real-world research during the course and many students highlighted their experience with authentic research when asked to describe their experience in the course more broadly.