Professor of Pedagogy Emory University Atlanta, Georgia
Incorporating authentic research experiences into undergraduate laboratory courses is one of the most successful recent transformations in undergraduate STEM education. While these course-based undergraduate research experiences may emphasize different aspects of the research experience, many focus on addressing novel research questions. Non-model insect species provide a unique opportunity for undergraduate students at all levels to participate in authentic research because of the range of unanswered questions. In some cases, these research experiences can intersect with other participatory research when students are engaged in citizen science. In this talk, I will highlight approaches to course-based undergraduate research experiences and the use of non-model insect species. In particular, I will use the example of course-based research on the microbiome of the bean beetle, Callosobruchus maculatus, a stored product pest.
