Exploring experiential opportunity impacts on undergraduate outcomes in the geosciences

Undergraduate research is a highly valued and increasingly critical component of STEM undergraduate education, as it is a key strategy in effective student development (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2017 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2017). Undergraduate research experiences for STEM students: Successes, challenges, and opportunities. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/24622[Crossref] , [Google Scholar]; Science Education Alliance, 2017 Science Education Alliance (2017). Developing scientists. Retrieved from http://www.hhmi.org/developing-scientists/science-education-alliance [Google Scholar]). However, there is little evidence on the long-term education and career impacts of undergraduate research. According to Carlone and Johnson (2007 Carlone, H. B., & Johnson, A. (2007). Understanding the science experiences of successful women of color: Science identity as an analytic lens. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 44(8), 1187–1218. doi: 10.1002/tea.20237[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]), developing an identity as a scientist requires knowledge growth, the ability to communicate scientific ideas and findings to a variety of audiences, and being recognized and respected as a scientist by others in the field. The goal of this study was to assess the longitudinal differences in science identity development as it relates to education and career outcomes of recipients and nonrecipients of NOAA’s Undergraduate Research Experiences (UREs), the Educational Partnership Program Undergraduate Scholarship, and the Hollings Undergraduate Scholarship. This evaluative study uses a quasi-experimental design to assess differences in students with equal motivation to participate in the URE, as all participants were eligible to apply and completed applications. Multivariate analyses showed that recipients of NOAA’s UREs were 1.2 times more likely to publish in a peer-reviewed journal, 2.2 times more likely to attain an advanced degree, and 1.92 times more likely to be a part- or full-time employee of NOAA.