2024 ASM Conference for Undergraduate Educators

Background. As our institution grows, we face challenges in providing independent research opportunities for all undergraduates. To address this, we implemented a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) focused on the ecologically important and threatened gopher tortoise. With limited genetic data available on this species, students were taught DNA isolation, PCR, Sanger sequencing, and microbiome analysis. Research Question: We asked how does this course impact students’ perception of research and their own science identity. Research Design and Methods: Over two years, 17 out of 25 students (68% response rate) reflected on their experiences with a writing assignment and completed a survey on goal orientation, future motivations, science identity, and provided demographics. Results: To protect student identities; we report only demographic information held by at least 20% of the students. 53% Caucasian, 29% Hispanic, 24% Asian; 65% female, 24% male; 47% first-generation college graduates. Student perceptions of science identity varied, and 88% reported a change in their perception of whether research could afford several goals. Outcomes included a first-author research article, GenBank sequence submissions, and thesis completions. Anecdotally, some students chose to apply to graduate school. Conclusions: Our data support the efficacy of this CURE in enhancing students' development and perceptions of research while contributing novel findings to the field. We also present ideas for scaling this approach.