Undergraduate Research Peer Leader Support

Undergraduate research programs often require a substantial number of student leaders. The Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) at Florida State University employs over 70 student leaders across all disciplines who support over 600 student participants through classes that help students navigate the challenges of undergraduate research. Student leaders can develop professional skills while exploring potential future careers in research and teaching. They can also learn mentoring skills through supporting their students. Not only do student leaders benefit individually from the experience, but they also support these programs, leading to a stronger program for future leaders and participants. However, there are challenges with ensuring quality and standardization across the program and establishing clear and open communication with student leaders, especially when issues arise. This session will discuss the benefits of working with student leaders in UROP, the selection process, and the training they complete. In addition, we will explain current strategies, such as the support class, designed to assist UROP Leaders throughout their teaching experience. We will also discuss recruitment strategies and incentives for UROP Leaders. Finally, we will facilitate an interactive component where attendees will reflect on the student leaders in their programs, the challenges that arise, and the measures they are taking—or want to implement—to recruit, train, and support student leaders and alleviate some of these challenges. Attendees will have time to brainstorm learning outcomes, expectations, and strategies to improve the support of their student leader programs.