Undergraduate Research Foundations

Issued by Penn State College of Engineering

Earners of this badge worked on a faculty-led research project in Penn State's College of Engineering. They learned how to engage in research and how to set goals for their involvement in the project. To add value to their research team they created and documented a standard operating procedure for a research activity.

Type Experience
Level Foundational
Time Months

Skills

Earning Criteria

Undergraduate Research Experience
Earners completed an opening reflection where they defined they proposed a definition of research, shared their past research experiences, and set goals for their participation.
Earners attended a goal setting meeting with their research mentor. They reviewed their research contract and amended it to set new goals for the coming research term.
Earners completed a midpoint reflection where they measured progress against their goals, adjusted timelines for completion, and identified changes to their activities during their remaining time on the project.
Earners worked with their research mentor to identify an area that could benefit from written documentation of a routine procedure. They then worked with their mentor to produce a standard operation procedure for that work.
Earns completed an endpoint reflection activity in consultation with their research mentor. They reviewed their goals and their progress, and made plans for ongoing involvement if applicable.