A Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience in Biofluid Mechanics

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) are a valuable tool to increase research exposure for larger undergraduate cohorts. We implemented a CURE within a senior-level biofluid mechanics course that was primarily taught using a flipped classroom approach. Due to the large class size, the students analyzed data that was publicly available and produced by one of our laboratories. Student teams then developed hypotheses based on the data analysis and designed a set of in vitro and in vivo experiments to test those hypotheses. The hypotheses and experiments that were most highly rated by the class were then tested in our laboratory. At the end of the class, student gains were assessed by self-report and compared to those self-reported by students engaging in a traditional freshman undergraduate summer research experience. While the students in the CURE reported moderate gains in self-assessment of research-based skills, their self-reported gains were statistically significantly lower than those reported by students who participated in the traditional research experience. We believe that the CURE could be improved through implementation in a lower level class, enabling students to observe laboratory experiments, and providing additional feedback throughout the hypothesis development and experimental design process. Overall, the CURE is an innovative way to expand research experiences, in particular for engineering students who often do not participate in hypothesis-driven research during their undergraduate education.