ERIC Number: EJ1481716
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Aug
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1935-7877
EISSN: EISSN-1935-7885
Available Date: 0000-00-00
An Interdisciplinary, Collaborative CURE to Investigate Mutagen-Sensitive Alleles in "Drosophila melanogaster"
Marissa Howard1; Elyse Bolterstein2; Kathryn P. Kohl3; Eric P. Stoffregen4; Christina I. Swanson1
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education, v26 n2 2025
Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) are an effective strategy to teach students about the process of scientific research. Students participating in a CURE also benefit in numerous other ways, such as gaining increased enthusiasm for science and increased retention in a STEM field. Because scientific research is increasingly interdisciplinary and collaborative, recently developed CUREs have begun to incorporate interdisciplinary approaches and networking components. Interdisciplinary, networked CUREs have, in several cases, expanded learning gains for participating students beyond the benefits of traditional CUREs. Here, we describe a novel interdisciplinary, collaborative CURE. Our CURE was launched with four participating primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) and the broad research goal of characterizing mutagen-sensitive alleles in "Drosophila melanogaster." Student surveys suggest that our CURE has successfully contributed to learning gains across a variety of areas, including increased project ownership, increased experience with collaboration, and increased experience with interdisciplinary research. Furthermore, participating faculty have benefitted from increased scholarly productivity. Our CURE could be expanded to include additional institutions, or could serve as a model for PUI faculty interested in developing their own collaborations as a strategy to tackle broad, interdisciplinary projects.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Student Research, Interdisciplinary Approach, Scientific Research, Entomology, Genetics, Program Effectiveness, Cooperative Programs, Intercollegiate Cooperation
American Society for Microbiology. 1752 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-737-3600; e-mail: journals@asmusa.org; Web site: https://journals.asm.org/journal/jmbe
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Pennsylvania; Idaho; Illinois (Chicago); South Carolina
Grant or Contract Numbers: 1431837
Author Affiliations: 1Biology Department, Arcadia University, Glenside, Pennsylvania, USA; 2Biology Department, Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago, Illinois, USA; 3Biology Department, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina, USA; 4Physical, Life, Movement & Sport Sciences Division, Lewis-Clark State College, Lewiston, Idaho, USA

Peer reviewed
