What is a CURE?
A Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) engages students in lab-based courses in a research project or question that is of interest to the broader scientific community1.
How do CUREs benefit students?2
- Develops skills in experimental design, technique, trouble-shooting, data analysis, reading primary literature, scientific writing, and communication.
- Increases equity in research access for students who may have personal and financial constraints (e.g. first-generation and minority students3)
- Builds scientific self-efficacy and motivation by allowing students to take ownership in the research process
How do CUREs benefit faculty?
- Provides a pipeline of preliminary data to be followed up by dedicated research students
- Maximizes limited faculty research time at primarily undergraduate institutes (PUIs) through large numbers of experiments and collaboration
My CUREs
I’ve run two different CUREs in my undergraduate courses at NEIU. Both courses are small (24 students) and have both a lecture and lab component. Click on the links below to learn more about each CURE.
| Research topic | Course | Course level | Number of students/semesters |
| Determining sex ratios in DNA repair-deficient Drosophila | General Biology I | Early undergraduate | 100 students / 1 semester |
| Characterizing mutagen sensitive (mus) genes in Drosophila | General Genetics | Mid-level undergraduate | 80 students / 4 semesters |
References
- Auchincloss et al. (2014) Assessment of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Meeting Report. CBE—Life Sci. Educ. 13(1) LINK
- Dolan (2017). Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences: Current knowledge and future directions LINK
- Bangera, G. & Brownell, S. E. (2014) Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Can Make Scientific Research More Inclusive. CBE—Life Sci. Educ. 13(4) LINK