Undergraduate Research Collaboration Between Penn State Main Campus And One Of Its Remote Campuses

Abstract

Undergraduate research has been heavily promoted recently by universities and through local, state and federal agencies. The importance and benefits of this type of research have been well documented in the literature. The general focus of universities without graduate programs is on teaching, and less emphasis is given to research. Consequently, such universities face various challenges to carry out undergraduate research. Some institutes, like Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus have only transfer programs for their engineering students. Carrying out undergraduate research in such institutes is very challenging. Creative approaches are needed to undertake such research. A new collaborative engineering research effort was started between the remote Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus and the main University Park Campus of the Pennsylvania State University. In this program, an undergraduate student starts to formulate his or her undergraduate research study at Penn State Fayette during his or her first and second years. The student carries out the research in his or her third and fourth years at Penn State Fayette while he or she studies at the University Park campus. This can be done during school breaks and summer time. This paper outlines the background behind this new collaborative undergraduate research program. It gives details on the pilot project, which started this program.