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The Freshman Research Initiative (FRI) program works as a model for effective science education. At most research universities, scientific research and teaching happen independently of one another. Primary investigators may work with post-doctoral researchers, graduate research assistants and undergraduate research assistants in their labs. And separately, professors may work with graduate student teaching assistants and undergraduate students in teaching labs.

In FRI, the lab and classroom are seamlessly integrated...

FRI_How_It_Works

FRI VOCABULARY

Research Stream

Research Stream

Each FRI lab is called a Research Stream, where undergraduate students and peer mentors perform authentic research related to the scientific disciplines of astronomy, biology, biochemistry, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, or physics!

Principal Investigator (PI)

Principal Investigator (PI)

Principal Investigators (PIs) are university faculty members that shape each unique Research Stream according to their own research needs and interests. This flexibility is integral to the FRI program and parallels the wide range of organizational styles seen in traditional research labs. PIs also oversee the research goals on a broad scale and have partial responsibility for conducting classes.

Research Educator (RE)

Research Educator (RE)

PIs delegate varying amounts of responsibility to Research Educators (REs). REs are PhD faculty scientists who are in charge of the day-to-day operations of stream laboratory teaching and research, and also have a high degree of autonomy regarding what research questions to address. The RE arranges and maintains the lab to serve the team of 35+ undergraduate students that will work there and develops a curriculum designed to ease students into independent work as quickly and effectively as possible. This makes the FRI a hotbed for innovation in research and teaching.

REs spend much of their time working closely with undergraduates in the lab, helping them with presentations of data, as well as offering guidance for future opportunities after the end of the FRI experience. Finally, each RE is responsible for a part of the FRI program and given meaningful independence to pursue this work as they think will best serve the FRI program.

Undergraduate Peer Mentors

Undergraduate Peer Mentors

Once students have completed the FRI course sequence in a research stream, they are eligible to move into the role of Peer Mentor. Peer mentors help guide the next cohort of FRI students as they learn the techniques and background needed to start their own independent projects. They can also continue to engage in stream research and provide feedback to students on their assignments.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate Students

Typically, 35+ undergraduate students are enrolled in a full research stream. The FRI experience lasts for 2+ semesters, where students can earn course credit while working closely with the peer mentors, the RE, and sometimes the PI, toward authentic stream research goals.

Course Credit

Course Credit

Students earn course credit by participating in a Research Stream and as a Peer Mentor. The FRI program offers various Spring Course Credit and Fall Course Credit options.

FRI RESEARCH CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

The lower-division FRI lab courses provide undergraduate students authentic research experiences, including in-depth participation in various scientific practices and opportunities that lead to invaluable 21^st Century skills (for example, critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, information literacy, leadership, etc.). To create experiential learning curriculum emphasizing scientific thinking and scholarship, FRI Research Educators (REs) curate an evolving, diversified research agenda so that students see that their work is relevant outside the scope of the course. FRI lab courses serve as a replacement for fundamental lower-division introductory lab courses in several disciplines, and are also a pivotal gateway to numerous, multi-semester academic and professional opportunities for CNS students, especially effective for increasing the participation of under-represented minority students in STEM.

In the second semester of their year-long FRI experience, many students receive upper-division research credit paired with a core curriculum Writing flag, which reflects the true nature of academic research and the importance of written communication and dissemination of results. Well beyond enrollment in the FRI courses, many students extend their STEM experiences in the FRI as peer teachers and researchers, often for the remainder of their time as undergraduates. This establishes nurturing, multi-tiered teaching and learning communities in the FRI where students of all stages can continue to develop academically and professionally from longitudinal, holistic mentoring.

While the FRI model of research-based lab course curriculum is very demanding, it gets significant results: The FRI was a recipient of the Gold Award for STEM education in the worldwide Reimagine Education competition, FRI boosts graduation and STEM retention rates, and boosts student earning potential post-graduation.