LEADERSHIP STEPS• Understand the relevant research (UTeach/FRI), seek

informed guidance (Master teachers—UTeach)

• Consult/involve faculty leaders (UTeach) or support a faculty initiative (FRI)

• Involve students as partners

• Involve the higher administration as soon as possible—get buy in or at least a blessing.

• Do a pilot program. Don’t wait until everything is perfect

• Gather data at every step; where possible have a valid comparison group, be ready to change and improve as you learn

• Involve external supporters as part of the team

• Involve external experts, legislators, leaders to establish credibility

Know what you’re doing

Get Started!!

Know what you’ve done

Share the Dream,Create a team

Share what you’ve done

Seek support to maintain, expand and replicate

great results

Share credit !!!

TEACHER EFFECTIVENESS

UTEACH RECOGNITION/REPLICATION

• Uteach Task Force, UT College of Natural Sciences Foundation Advisory Coucil

• National Academy recognition

• Gathering Storm Report

• NMSI formed

• ExxonMobil, Dell gifts

• Race to the Top funding

• HHMI

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EDUCATION THROUGH RESEARCH: RESEARCH THROUGH EDUCATION

The Freshman Research Initiative: UT Austin

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Freshman Freshman Sophomore Sophomore

Fall Fall Fall FallSpringSpring Summer*Summer* Spring* Spring*

Research MethodsIntro to

Research and Analysis

Stream Selection

Counts as Signature Course

Intro to Stream Lab TechniquesBegin ResearchCounts as a Lower Division Lab Course

Summer Research FellowshipSummer School CreditHeadstart on Fall Research

Stream ResearchCredit for Independent ResearchExpand & Complete Stream ProjectCounts as Upper Division Lab Course

Research Publication/ PresentationMentor Research MethodsJoin faculty labs, REUs, internships

*Optional

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Research Stream Name Faculty Leader(s)

Discipline(s) # 1st Spring

Vertebrate Interactome Mapping Scott Stevens Molecular Biology 35 2006

Aptamer Selection Andy Ellington Biochemistry / Biology 35 2006

Nanomaterials for Chemical Catalysis Stevenson/Vanden Bout/Crooks

Chemistry 30 2006

Supramolecular Sensors Eric Anslyn Chemistry 30 2007

Biobricks Karen Browning Biochemistry 35 2007

Discovery Lab in Plant Biology Stan Roux Biology 28 2007

Autonomous Vehicles Peter Stone Computer Science 15 2007

Computational Intelligence in Game Design Risto Miikkulainen Computer Science 20 2007

Frontiers of Liner Algebra Library Dev. Robert van de Geijn Mathematics/Computer Science 5 2007

Viral Evolution Jim Bull Biology 35 2008

Mitochondrial Gene Expression Dean Appling Biochemistry / Molecular Biology

35 2008

Virtual Drug Screening Jon Robertus Biology/Computer Science 30 2008

Computational Nanoparticles Graeme Henkelman Chemistry/Computer Science 25 2008

Electronic and Magnetic Materials Research John Markert Physics 15 2008

Peptide Mimics to Study Binding Energetics Stephen Martin Chemistry 33 2009

New Functional Materials & X-Ray Crystallography

R. Jones, B. Holliday Chemistry 25 2009

Functional Genomics Vishwanath Iyer Biology 35 2009

Cell Fate Regulation Alan Lloyd Biology 35 2009

The Search for Dark Matter Don Winget Astronomy 8 2009

Computational Biology: Studying Disease Dynamics

Wilke /Meyers Biology/Computer Science 25 2009

Special Topics in Math Research Ron Hadani Mathematics 15 2010

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Impact on Retention in Science and Math

College of Natural Science (CNS) retention data for the FRI-07 cohort and associated comparison group, plotted over a five year period so that the average five-year retention data can be shown in comparison.

45-85% increase in retention rates

Comparison groups are formed for each year from freshman not in FRI, who meet the same FRI requirements

The resulting comparison group is:• Statistically indistinguishable in terms of

predicted first semester GPA • Demographically similar to FRI students• Comparable in number of risk students included

45%

85%

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4-YR GRADUATION RATES COMPARED 4-YR GRADUATION RATES COMPARED

17

32% FRI students

9% comparison

groupFRI06 CNS non-honors graduates (N=57)

CMP06 CNS non-honors graduates (N=146)

18

Annual Report 2010: Cumulative (2005-2010) list of refereed journal publications co-authored by FRI student participants

FRI RECOGNITION/REPLICATION

• HHMI Funding

• NSF Funding

• FRI Task Force, UT College of Natural Sciences Foundation Advisory Council

• BHEF recognition

• PCAST recognition

• HHMI replication

LEADERSHIP STEPS• Understand the relevant research (UTeach/FRI), seek

informed guidance (Master teachers—UTeach)

• Consult/involve faculty leaders (UTeach) or support a faculty initiative (FRI)

• Involve students as partners

• Involve the higher administration as soon as possible—get buy in or at least a blessing.

• Do a pilot program. Don’t wait until everything is perfect

• Gather data at every step; where possible have a valid comparison group, be ready to change and improve as you learn

• Involve external supporters as part of the team

• Involve external experts, legislators, leaders to establish credibility

Know what you’re doing

Get Started!!

Know what you’ve done

Share the Dream,Create a team

Share what you’ve done

Seek support to maintain, expand and replicate

great results

Share credit !!!

21

• Connects undergraduates with authentic, advanced research projects from the beginning of their first semester on campus as part of their regular course of study

• Provides a better learning experience for students that keeps them in STEM instead of driving them away!!!!!

• Shows students the excitement of discovery, provides experience with cutting edge technology and prepares them for additional hands-on experience in labs or internships

• Gives students access to faculty mentors and the community of science• Is scalable, both in numbers and disciplines, and makes a unique, authentic

research experience available to a large portion of the freshman class. - Over 6 years > 2300 freshman have participated- Again in 2011-12, > 650 students enrolled in FRI, 33% of the incoming Natural

Sciences class,>40% from underrepresented groups- 70 % still researching at the end of their 4th year

• Merges the twin missions of a research university: Research and Education• Is especially effective with students not traditionally well-represented in science

practice• Retains and helps our students succeed in a science, technology or

mathematics degree plan and ecruits them to scientific careers

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67% Continuing in Research for 4 years

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