Expectations and Experience: Creating an Effective Remote Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic and the migration to online learning have presented unique challenges to undergraduate research, reducing opportunities to participate in highimpact practices, including in-person summer research programs. To mitigate some of these effects, Loyola Marymount University adapted its summer undergraduate research program, traditionally held as a six-week program on campus, to a remote structure. This article describes methods for migrating an existing program online and utilizes a mixed-methods approach to analyze student satisfaction and self-perceived changes in transferable knowledge and life skills and confidence in research ability. The data supported the hypothesis that a virtual summer research program can provide meaningful student research experiences, supportive relationships with faculty mentors, and an increase in students’ desire to pursue research opportunities in the future.