My Goals of Early Research Experiences:
 Challenge top students without losing general education
students
 Maintain my own connection to current research
Research Across a Spectrum:
1) Within course curriculum
2) On-campus internships
3) Off-campus internships
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Local

Distant
Allison Beauregard
Northwest Florida State College
Research in the Classroom
 Course focused on water quality
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research project throughout semester
Includes 3 field trips to local estuary
“Floating classroom”
End of semester student presentations
Student gains based on pre/post tests
 More accepting of technology
 Increased confidence in science ability
 Significant knowledge gains of course
content compared to control group
On Campus Research Internships
 Focused on local water quality and Red Tide outbreaks
 Students contribute to on-going research project
 Occurs during semester – students work ~5 hrs/week
 Collaborate with local 4YC – tiered mentoring
 27 interns over 8 years! (phew!)
Off Campus Research Internships
Local Off Campus Internships
 Environmental Internship course
 Students paired with local mentor to conduct “own”
research project
 Students work ~ 5hrs/week for one semester
 Monthly class meetings on job ready skill-building
Off Campus Research Internships
Distant Off Campus Internships
 Broader impacts part of NSF research grant
 Focused on hydrothermal vent research
 Intensive, 10 week, summer internship
 Students conduct “own” research project
Challenges
 Assessment - internship experience due to small
sample size and outcomes that are hard to quantify
 Conveying importance of experiences to non-science
administration (high cost and low student numbers)
Advice & Lessons Learned
 Talk to your students about their experiences – they
have a lot to say if you think to ask
 Everyone has contacts – use them!
 Be creative with ways to showcase your students’
success – host student seminars; invite college
administrators on field trips; etc.
Acknowledgements
 Dr. Matthew Schwartz, University of West Florida
 Dr. Julie Huber, Marine Biological Laboratory
 NSF Advanced Technological Education
 DUE-0902898 (Beauregard)
 DUE-0902897 (Schwartz)
 NSF Biological Oceanography
 OCE-0929167