Investigating Graduate Mentor Perspectives on Data Information Literacy and Stewardship in Undergraduate Engineering Research Projects

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to explore graduate mentors’ perspectives on the data information literacy of the undergraduate engineering research teams they support, and to identify the challenges these teams face in managing data across the research data lifecycle. Methods: Two graduate mentors supporting undergraduate engineering research teams were interviewed in fall 2024 using the Data Information Literacy (DIL) Toolkit. The interviews examined graduate mentors’ perceptions of the importance of key data competencies for undergraduate researchers and explored how students engage with the stages of the research data lifecycle. Transcripts were analyzed using qualitative descriptive methods and organized around the DIL modules to provide a structured account of data information literacy practices. Results: Graduate mentors identified different priorities for undergraduate researchers. One mentor emphasized Data Management and Organization as most important, while the other mentor highlighted a wide range of priorities from Data Conversion and Interoperability, to Data Curation and Reuse. Descriptive findings, structured around the DIL Toolkit modules, showed student engagement in technical tasks such as coding, and version control under mentor guidance. However, mentors reported persistent challenges in areas such as documentation quality, metadata creation, ethical practices, and long-term data preservation. Conclusion: Graduate mentors offer essential insight into the data information literacy of undergraduate engineering research teams. Their insights examined through this study revealed that while students are supported in technical aspects of the data lifecycle, skills like documentation, ethics, and data preservation remain underdeveloped. Investing in training around data stewardship can equip graduate mentors with the skills and language needed to strengthen their undergraduate teams’ data literacy and better prepare students to serve as competent data stewards in an increasingly data-driven research environment.