The Workshop consisted of four sessions, each with a plenary presentation by one or two speakers followed by breakout discussion groups and concluding with a large group discussion of reports from the breakout groups.

This session considered the role of research activities, broadly defined, in contributing to the intellectual development of undergraduate students, increasing the number of undergraduates that pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and the development of the scientific workforce. The populations of students that are or could be affected by participation in research activities were considered, as were the needs of these respective populations and how their education could be enhanced through participation in research. Finally, barriers to achieving this enhancement were considered.

Sessions 2 & 3:

Mechanisms and Opportunities for Increasing the Participation of Freshmen, Sophomores, Women, Under- represented Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Undergraduate Research

The first of these two sessions considered the traditional model of undergraduate research that is done predominantly with upper-class students (i.e., juniors and seniors), the strengths and weaknesses of this model, and barriers that have made this traditional model largely inaccessible to significant segments of the undergraduate population. The second session followed with consideration of mechanisms for broadly increasing participation in research activities and strategies for interfacing with other communities who could benefit from access to or enhanced undergraduate research activities. (Vignettes describing innovative programs that broaden participation in research to the target populations or that successfully interface with other communities such as community colleges, high schools, industry or government labs were solicited from participants and others for inclusion in the program to facilitate discussion of strategies for increasing participation in research.)

This session considered the “nuts and bolts” aspects of establishing, operating, assessing, and sustaining broadly-based undergraduate research programs. Critical barriers and pressure points that inhibit implementation of such programs, and essential resources that would allow these barriers to be surmounted were explored. Criteria that define the success of such programs were articulated, and strategies for assessing this success were considered. Mechanisms for resource identification to allow these programs to become self-sustaining were discussed.