Broadening Research Pathways

Shaping Scholars Through Experience

Katie LaPlant, Gabi Marcu, and Kelly Kowatch explain how REDP empowers students to turn curiosity into academic impact.

UMSI students come to their programs with a range of practical skills, volunteer experience, and a passion for learning new ways to solve problems. However, many have limited experience with academic research or an understanding of how it can be applied to the issues they care most about. The applied and socially impactful nature of the world-class research UMSI offers is an opportunity for all students to gain rich hands-on experience with the quantitative, qualitative, and design methods they encounter in the classroom. For some, exposure to the intellectual freedom and long-term inquiry that defines academic research may even spark an interest in pursuing a PhD. Yet, for many possible future careers—including consulting, technology, business, and health—working with faculty and in research labs can provide foundational experiences that propel students’ learning and long-term goals forward.

The Research Experience Development Program (REDP) was designed to do just that. This year, REDP helped UMSI undergraduate and master’s students match with faculty on groundbreaking projects. From the practical applications of AI to health technologies and political polarization, REDP students received advanced mentorship and contributed to 20 research projects alongside faculty, doctoral students, and postdocs. In addition to individualized training provided by faculty research leads, students participated in supplementary programming that helped them to develop new research skills and to better understand the occluded culture of academia. Highlights of the seminar-style programming included:

• Understanding the IRB process

• Lectures on academic research topics such as privacy and media bias

• Workshops on CV and cover letter writing

• Peer review workshops

• Introduction to theory and the ways academics deploy it

Along with introducing students to some of the methods, skills, and everyday practices common in academia, REDP also sought to improve access to research opportunities. With so many research-active faculty at UMSI, it can be difficult for students to identify available opportunities that align with their interests, especially while still discovering those interests. REDP helped bridge that gap by sharing available projects via the M-Compass hub and the Engaged Learning Office newsletter, providing a range of available projects and allowing students to explore and apply based on their interests. The program also supported students in preparing their applications by recognizing the full range of valuable experiences they brought with them, including after-school jobs and volunteer work. Additional resources, from books to templates, provided students with places to start when looking to apply to graduate programs or engage in new research projects. 

In this pilot year of REDP as a co-curricular program, more than 100 students from the BSI, MSI, MHI, and MADS programs applied, and 27 were matched with research projects. Both students and mentors have suggested making the program for-credit to ensure the achievement of skill development goals and to increase access to research opportunities through greater program transparency. We are excited to grow this program, given the interest and the feedback, through a 1.5-credit course offering starting this fall.  

Perhaps most importantly, REDP gives students the space to consider careers in research and learn from faculty that career paths are deeply personal and shaped by individual passions. Several participants have since applied to PhD or master’s programs or opted to complete the thesis (MTOP) option. By demystifying research through mentorship and a community of like-minded peers, REDP opens the door for a wider range of students who are curious about research or hungry to go beyond the experiences in their coursework. For faculty, REDP is also making it easier to create opportunities for new researchers on their projects and be matched with promising, driven students who can make exciting contributions to their research. What began as a student-centered initiative has become a rewarding experience for faculty too.