During summer 2018, undergraduate researchers were engaged in discovery and learning in the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) program at The Citadel. This study examines the extent to which several research skills were enhanced by participation in the SURE program. The mentors' and mentees’ perceptions of mentees’ research skills were measured by analyzing a 1-5 Likert scale survey at end of the program (‘1’ indicating that the skill is not at all improved and ‘5’ indicating that that the skill is very much improved). The comparison of mentors’ and mentees’ skills ratings revealed that mentees rated the development of their research skills at a higher level than mentors, yet both mentors and mentees rated oral and written communication and formulating hypothesis skills similarly. This paper discusses the SURE program, the results and analyses of the comparison of mentors’ and mentees’ ratings of skill levels at the end of program, potential future improvements for the program, and successful practices that may be replicated in similar programs.
Dr. Simon Ghanat is an Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at The Citadel (Charleston, S.C.). He received his Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Arizona State University. His research interests
Dr. Kathy Zanin is an Associate Professor of Immunology, Cell, and Developmental Biology. Her current research interest is exploring histone proteins in the mitochondria. She has also developed a hypothesis for a cure for HIV infection. Dr. Zanin is active in promoting stronger pre-college education in the STEM fields and is a regular participant in activities sponsored by the Center for Excellence and Innovation in Teaching. She was the 2009 recipient of The Citadel’s Clinton A. Medbery Award for Dedication in Teaching, the 2018 recipient of the School of Science and Math's Early Career Faculty Award, and the 2018 recipient of the Citadel Faculty Excellence in Service Award. She is also the Pre-Health Advisor, the administrator of the Pre-Health Mentorship Program, and she serves on the Online Education Advisory Board.
Dr. Dena Garner is a full professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance and is the Director of Undergraduate Research and Assistant Provost for Research and Policy at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina. She started working at The Cit
Dr. Deirdre Ragan is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Additionally, she is Director of The Citadel Honors Program. She holds a B.S. (Rice University), M.S. and Ph.D. (University of California Santa Barbara) in Materials. Deirdre previously conducted research at a national lab, new product development research in industry, and academic research in Sweden through a Fulbright Fellowship. She holds five patents for ideas conceived and implemented while working in industry. Her interests include mentoring students, high impact teaching methods, and materials research. She teaches upper-level undergraduate and graduate Materials courses in the Mechanical Engineering department as well as undergraduate multidisciplinary courses for the Honors Program.
Dr. Jeffery Plumblee is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Engineering Leadership and Program Management (ELPM) in the School of Engineering (SOE) at The Citadel. Dr. Plumblee earned his BS in Civil Engineering at Clemson University (2008), Masters in Civil Engineering at Clemson University (2009), Masters of Business Administration at Clemson University (2013), and Doctorate of Philosophy in Civil Engineering at Clemson University (2013). Dr. Plumblee’s dissertation research sought to better understand the relationship between sustainability and resilience in residential construction. He continued his work in resilience by helping to kick start a new business line at Fluor Corporation in Business Continuity and Disaster Management Solutions, where he primarily worked as a consultant with Fortune 100 aerospace and pharmaceutical clients.
Plumblee’s research interests focus on building a more resilient society, as well as innovation in resource constrained settings (primarily humanitarian technology and delivery). Plumblee founded an international award winning organization (Clemson Engineers for Developing Countries), which has successfully completed over $2 million of infrastructure improvements in rural Haiti. He continues his research to drive innovation of experiential learning within engineering education.
Dr. Daniel B. Bornstein is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Health and Human Performance at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. Dr. Bornstein began working at The Citadel in 2013 after completing his Ph.D. in Exercise Science from the University of South Carolina. Prior to earning his Ph.D., Dr. Bornstein founded and was C.E.O. of two fitness companies based in Tucson, AZ, the ProActive Performance Institute and Inner Strength Fitness Consultants. After selling those companies in 2007, which focused on individual-level health and performance, Dr. Bornstein’s Ph.D. and current research agenda are focused on effective strategies for increasing population-levels of physical activity in order to improve public health and military readiness.
Dr. Bornstein has published extensively and presents regularly at national and international conferences in the areas of physical activity and public health including: physical activity monitoring, physical activity communication, physical activity policy, and physical activity messaging. Currently, Dr. Bornstein is leading a series of research studies investigating the impacts of physical inactivity and low physical fitness on military readiness and national security. Dr. Bornstein’s research has been featured in over 130 media outlets worldwide, including USA Today, Newsweek, Stars and Stripes, and National Public Radio. Based on his research, Dr. Bornstein has provided numerous briefings to senior military personnel and lawmakers, including briefings at The Pentagon and Capitol Hill.
In addition to his research, Dr. Bornstein has held national leadership positions in the physical activity and public health field including: Project Coordinator for the U.S. National Physical Activity Plan from 2009-2014, and Chair of the American Public Health Association’s Physical Activity Section from 2015-2016. Dr. Bornstein currently serves on several national committees including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Committee on Physical Activity Communications, the American Heart Association’s Expert Advisory Group on Physical Education and Physical Activity Policy in Schools, and he’s currently Chair of the National Physical Activity Plan’s Communications Committee. Locally, Dr. Bornstein is a member of the Mayor’s Health and Wellness Committee for the City of Charleston, and he is Chair of The Citadel’s Fitness Pillar.
John Lewis has worked at the OECD, as a quantitative portfolio manager in London, Boston and New York, in venture capital for early stage companies in Paris and as a professor of finance at universities in Paris, London and Charleston over the past 37 years. His current research interests are in quantitative finance, venture capital, machine learning and high-performance computing. He is currently a Visiting Assistant Professor in Finance at the Citadel and completing his PhD in Finance at Dauphine University in Paris.
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