This discussion panel will target faculty, staff and students interested in learning about the research experience from an undergraduate research assistant's point of view. Our goal is not only to have researchers learn how to recruit volunteer undergraduate assistants, but also to maximize the research experience for both the researcher and volunteer research assistant. The discussion will focus on topics of recruitment, expectations, responsibilities and mutual benefits of community research for both the researcher and volunteer research assistant.
The discussion panel will consist of undergraduate research assistants and a moderator. The discussion will open with general suggestions about communicating a research opportunity, and appealing to undergraduate students to volunteer for a research project. Next, the discussion will articulate some common expectations of both the researcher and the volunteer research assistant. The discussion will also address responsibilities of both the researcher and the volunteer research assistant. The discussion will culminate in a dialogue about the reciprocal benefits of the volunteer-researcher relationship.
Each panel member will then speak about his or her personal experiences across the broader issues. Their brief presentations will also include the topics of how to get involved, prior expectations, actual experience, and immediate and enduring benefits. Afterward, the moderator will highlight the underlying themes, and open up the discussion with the audience in order to provide the opportunity for participants to share their research experiences or perspectives on these important issues.