Exploring How Mechanical Engineering Undergraduate Researchers’ Understanding of Research Change Over Time

This research full-paper explores how undergraduate mechanical engineering students' understanding of research changes over the course of a year-long, apprenticeship-model research experience. Undergraduate research programs are pivotal in fostering academic and professional development among students and provide students with hands-on experiences which can foster a deeper understanding of the discipline. Moreover, undergraduate research experiences can build students interest in and understanding of research as well as shape students' career aspirations. Previous studies have looked at undergraduate students' perception of what research is, however, there is a need to understand if participating in a year-long, apprenticeship model research experience helps undergraduate engineering students develop a more nuanced understanding of what research is. This study focuses on the research questions: How do undergraduate mechanical engineering students' definitions of research change over the course of a year-long research experience? To answer these research question, we conducted qualitative interviews with 10 participants at the beginning and end of their year-long research experience. We employed reflexive thematic analysis to analyze the data and address the research questions. Specifically, we compared participants' responses after the experience with their expectations before the experience. This comparative approach allowed us to identify themes describing how undergraduate research influenced their definitions of research and career aspirations. The findings revealed a significant evolution in the participants' definitions of research, indicating a shift towards more nuanced and realistic understandings. The findings from this study will be useful for faculty who mentor undergraduate researchers as well as those designing and administering undergraduate research programs.