Mentoring Relationships in Engineering Undergraduate Apprenticeship-Model Research: Students' Perceptions of Faculty Mentors

As the landscape of higher education evolves, the importance of undergraduate research experiences has become increasingly recognized for enhancing students' academic and professional development.Through close collaboration with research mentors, students are immersed in real-world research contexts, acquiring knowledge and skills directly applicable to their professional lives.Beyond the need for mentoring, the quality of mentoring is crucial, necessitating continuous examination of the undergraduate research process and conversations aimed at improving mentoring practices.This study explores the perception of undergraduate student researchers in a mechanical engineering department regarding their engagement with their faculty research mentors during a year-long research experience.This study uniquely solicits students' perspectives on areas for potential improvement in their mentor-student relationships.The study focused on answering two research questions: (1) How do students describe their working relationship with their research mentors during a year-long undergraduate research experience?(2) What do students wish that their research mentors had done differently?This qualitative study is part of a larger study that explores the experiences of undergraduate mechanical engineering students who participated in an academic year-long research lab experience.Data collected for this study includes interviews at the beginning and end of their research experience with this paper drawing specifically from the post-experience interviews.The findings highlight avenues for strengthening mentor-student relationships and advocates for the apprenticeship model as a tool for engaged learning.