Scaling Up a Course-Based Research Experience

Principal Investigator Jacob Wainman secured MPact funds to scale up Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) in General Chemistry II Laboratory at the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD). An innovative method for laboratory instruction, CUREs advance MPact goals of using scientific practices, practicing troubleshooting and iteration and collaborating with others in teams, which improves students’ competencies to effectively engage in research. CUREs also move the benefits of undergraduate research experiences from extracurricular to curricular, making these experiences more equitable and inclusive than previous undergraduate research opportunities.

As of spring 2025, Wainman’s team successfully scaled up implementation of the CURE curriculum from a pilot cohort of 50 students to 150–250 students each semester. This significant accomplishment, achieved by onboarding all UMD faculty who teach General Chemistry II Lab, included developing and delivering professional development training for all CURE teaching assistants. Students received research mentorship from both faculty and teaching assistants. Also, in collaboration with other innovations in the Swenson College of Science and Engineering, CURE students delivered 35 to 60 poster presentations of their research findings in a semesterly poster fair hosted by the college. By disseminating both their curriculum and research findings in several publications, Wainman’s team shared that the students are now fully capable of writing research questions, designing experiments, troubleshooting technical issues and performing authentic research.