The Research Catalogue
New Findings and Insights on Institutional Practices and Academic Success

This is a digest of sources on issues addressed by the AAAS Capacity Center. It is updated periodically, sometimes with commentary. Web links, some accessible only to subscribers, are provided wherever possible, though we cannot assure their viability.

From Rice University September 12, 2008

Testimony to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Briefing on Encouraging Minorities to Pursue Careers in STEM  – The Flaws in the Mismatch Theory (Richard Tapia) –
In his testimony to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, Rice University mathematician Richard Tapia explains his opposition of the Mismatch Theory as it applies to law, medical school, and STEM advancement.  The Mismatch Theory ignores all that we have learned about educating minorities and guarantees the formation of a permanent science underclass in America.  Tapia describes three broken systems that prepare minority students – 1)  K-12 schools, 2) MSIs, and 3) research institutions – and makes recommendations for dealing with each problem.
Visit:  http://www.caam.rice.edu/~rat/cv/minority/mismatch_theory_statement_2008-09-12.pdf

From Council on Undergraduate Research Quarterly Summer 2008

Creating Community in Your Undergraduate Research Program: It Isn’t Spontaneous! (Carol Bender, Linda Blockus, and Marcus Webster) –
The undergraduate research experience is an important element in the effort to encourage students to enter STEM research careers.  Many institutions are adding value to the student experience by providing enhancements beyond the mentored research opportunity.  This article summarizes the community building efforts and activities of summer programs at three different institutions.  Capacity Center Fellow Linda Blockus is a co-author on this article.
Visit:  http://cur.org/Quarterly/Jun08/Summer08Bender.pdf

Assessing the impact of undergraduate-research experiences on students: An overview of the literature (Mary Crowe and David Brakke) –
As the need and interest to assess the benefits of undergraduate research experiences continues to grow, this article provides a much needed synopsis of 23 assessment and research articles from 1995-2007.  Included in the review are both seminal articles in the field and lesser known evaluation reports published in journals of higher education, science education, science, student development, and educational psychology.  The authors provide a starting point for anyone interested in the variety approaches taken at the program, institutional, and multi-institution levels to study the outcomes of undergraduate research experiences.
Visit:  http://www.cur.org/Quarterly/Jun08/Summer08CroweBrakke.pdf

From College Board Advocacy November 2008

Selected Data on P-20 Education in America (College Board Task Force on Admissions in the 21^st Century) –
This report is a comprehensive but not exhaustive review of data on several contemporary issues in American education, from preschool through college graduation.  It explores 10 significant indicators of educational health, including international comparisons, student achievement, child well-being, demographic change, workforce needs, the education pipeline, educational costs, admissions standards and conditions of teaching, as well as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics needs in the U.S.
Visit:  http://www.collegeboard.com/html/admissionsinthe21stcentury/PDF/college_board_data_book.pdf

From Engineering Education Service Center November 2008

Engineers Make a Difference: Motivating Students to Pursue an Engineering Education (Celeste Baine) –
This book explores the state of K-12 engineering education and how to motivate students to enter the field.   It includes practical suggestions and over a dozen ways to appeal to even the least-interested student.  Geared to teachers, counselors, administrators, and others that promote engineering, the book aims, among others, to rise above the challenges associated with getting students in the door; make the connections between everyday things and engineering; and (5) learn what engineers do and how they make a difference in the world around us.
Visit:  http://www.engineeringedu.com/engineersmakeadifference/

From The Chronicle of Higher Education November 11, 2008

The Iron Triangle: College Presidents Talk About Costs, Access, and Quality (John Immerwahr, Jean Johnson, and Paul Gasbarra, The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education) –
This report explores the perspectives of college and university presidents about how they define the challenges facing the American postsecondary-education system and how to tackle issues of cost, access, and quality.  The one-on-one interviews were conducted with the leaders of different kinds of higher education institutions, including two- and four-year schools, and private and public institutions located across the country.  To meet the educational demands of the future, the college presidents agree that much of the "heavy-lifting" will need to be done by governments putting more money into higher education, by families paying more in tuition, and by private businesses entering into more partnerships with colleges.
Visit:  http://www.highereducation.org/reports/iron_triangle/IronTriangle.pdf

10 x 10 List (Ruta Sevo) –
People who work on the issue of women in science come at it from many perspectives.  Information is spread all over.  There are a bunch of websites devoted to the cause.  There are bibliographies and databases that are done and forgotten.  It takes some vigilance to track it all.  When you use Google you have to decide, from a thousand hits: "Is it any good?" / "Is it worth my while?"  The 10 x 10 List is a compilation of about 100 recommended resources on women in science and engineering, organized into small chunks.  There is much more out there, of course.
Visit:  http://www.momox.org/10x10.html