The Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE): the value of - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Sheffield Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE): the value of a vacation bursary scheme in improving employability

Lucy Lee, Martina Daly

University of Sheffield Medical School

What is it?

A summer scholarship programme that allows undergraduate students to experience “life as a researcher” Launched in the Medical School, Summer 2009 and open to undergraduate students in Sheffield undergraduate students in Sheffield and elsewhere in the UK Supervisors must be Early Career Researchers Parallel scheme run by CILASS

Why?

Early Career Researchers Undergraduate Students

Why?

Medical School Research Strategy National Guidelines

Undergraduate Students

Early experience of research in “real” research environment Gain an understanding of how knowledge is created, laboratory experience, develop analytical skills, learn the value of objectivity Improve networking and communication skills and work collaboratively as part of a research group collaboratively as part of a research group Assist with career planning Increase employability

Supervisors (Early Career Researchers)

Professional development Experience of grant writing, supervision and project management Better equipped for applying for research grants and career development fellowships Completion of short research projects which might otherwise not be possible Increase employability

Internal Drivers: Medical School PGR strategy

Early identification of high calibre students for PGR programmes, in sufficient time to allow potential supervisors to plan ahead The Medical School does not have an undergraduate feed of students from the basic science disciplines students from the basic science disciplines Identification of students from outside of Sheffield

External Drivers: Research Careers in the UK: A Review

• Prof. Nigel Thrift, Nov 2008

Research careers not seen as attractive to high calibre graduates Supply and development of researchers affected by initial attractiveness of research careers and retention and attractiveness of research careers and retention and advancement of the most talented researchers at subsequent levels “Brain drain” from the UK continues to be a danger “Research councils should work with universities, research institutes, charities and industry to develop a national Research Experiences Programme for undergraduate students.” The Thrift Report, Nov, 2008

Budget

Student bursary, £180 per week (for 6 weeks) Research costs, £1,000 per project Catering (welcome, coffee morning, presentation day) Training for supervisors Training for supervisors Publicity Prize for best student presentation (£50) Temporary secretarial support

Funding in Year 1

Skills Training Development Grant (Roberts funding) Funding for all costs except student bursaries Learning and Teaching Development Grant Funding for 4 student bursaries for Sheffield Undergraduates Devolved Funds from Department Research Committee Funding for 6 student bursaries (unrestricted)

Process and Administration

Recruit Projects Internally Recruit Students Adm Supervisor Training Advertise Scheme internally Proposals to Review Board Notify successful candidates Advertise Scheme across UK Create application review framework Applications reviewed by supervisors and panel Interview Training Nov 2008 dministrative Support 6 week projects Supervisor Training Student Interviews Pre Project Admin Stipend Payment organisation Consumable account organisation Create Induction pack Developed interview criteria Timetabled 60 interviews over one afternoon Notify successful candidates Interview Training “How to be an effective researcher” = project management Ongoing monitoring of project pairs Evaluation Analysis

SURE 2009:

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Evaluation – for both Students and Supervisors

Method:

• 1. Theory of Change Document created
• 2. Pre-Scheme Questionnaire
• Questions included:
• Skills
• Experience
• Experience
• Used as a baseline to benchmark

changes against

• 3. Post-Scheme Questionnaire
• 4. Focus Groups

Analysis:

• Compared post with pre questionnaire for changes in skill levels
• Matrix analysis of focus group transcripts

Results: Undergraduate Students

All 36 skills improved over the course of the project 77% (7/9) improved in at least 16 skills General research skills showed the greatest improvements The most improved skills (mean increase 1.4 – 1.8; scale 1-5) The most improved skills (mean increase 1.4 – 1.8; scale 1-5) were:

• Give a clear oral presentation with appropriate level of detail
• Explore more than one solution in order to solve a problem
• Understand reasons for experimental failure, suggest solutions

and implement them

• Propose sensible new experiments to extend recent findings
• Adapt procedures and protocols to new circumstances

What the Undergraduates said….

“I found that the working environment suited me well. I loved the feeling

• f finally getting something to work. I felt excited that I was

contributing something new to science and that nobody had done the exact thing I was doing. I made use of the opportunity to speak to people who have had long research careers and to ask their advice people who have had long research careers and to ask their advice about applying for PhD's etc” “It has definitely made me more certain on pursing a career in

• research. Has made me more confident in my own ability, giving me

confidence in carrying out my masters project this year.”

Results: Supervisors

14/16 skills improved over the course of the project 67% (6/9) improved in at least 7 skills The most improved skills (mean increase 0.9; scale 1-5) were:

• Understand process of funding and evaluating research
• Support the learning of others when involved in teaching,

mentoring or demonstrating

• Show an insight into the transferable nature of research skills

to other work environments and a range of careers (e.g. communication, supervisory and analytical skills)

What the Supervisors said….

“The thing I was most surprised that I got out of the scheme was

• rganising someone else’s work had a good effect on my own
• rganisation of my work. I now prioritise my workload better on what

needs to be done today.” “Time management was one of the major things I got out of it, it needed perhaps more of my time than I expected, I think I’ve gotten needed perhaps more of my time than I expected, I think I’ve gotten much better at managing my own time now after having to manage someone else’s as well. It was difficult at first but has now definitely improved.” “Interview skills without a doubt, its something I’ve never had the

• pportunity to go through before, to go through CVs and conduct

interviews I think was a major benefit of the scheme from my point of view.”

Year 2: Changes

Funding for all stipends = Learning and Teaching: IBL Grant All students to be recruited from University of Sheffield Encouraging all supervisor/student pairs to apply for external summer scheme funding summer scheme funding Projects are available to the whole Faculty.

Future for SURE

• Sustainability

Currently no funding available for 2011

• Scalability

Will other departments look to organise similar schemes? Possibility of Admin/resources pooling Possibility of Admin/resources pooling

• Assessing Employability

Maintain Alumni and monitor contribution of SURE on career

Discussion Questions:

• 1. Please list what undergraduate vacation activities your department

currently engages with, and where the funding comes from.

• 2. What do students need and what are the costs involved?
• 3. What possible funding sources are available for vacation
• 3. What possible funding sources are available for vacation

schemes?

• 4. How could the SURE scheme become sustainable?
• 5. Could the SURE scheme be used by other departments and how

could departments share resources?