91探花

Holly Barker: Mentoring undergraduates in research

If current projections hold, recent graduates may change jobs ten times or more in their lives, and may work in careers that don鈥檛 yet exist.^1,2Experience in academic research will help students meet these challenges, because the ability to reinvent oneself is essentially a research skill. Faculty throughout the UW鈥檚 three campuses are working to involve not just graduate students, but also undergraduates in academic research projects that can help them build critical skills, such as the ability to gather, analyze, and synthesize complex information on a new topic; to determine needs for new knowledge; and then to help create that knowledge. Working on real-world problems with faculty mentors also helps students build the confidence that they, too, can make an impact. 91探花faculty such as Holly Barker treat their undergraduate students as emerging professionals, supporting them as they experience what it means to contribute to a scholarly field and to the community.

Often faculty struggle to find time to support undergraduate researchers. Through structured office hours and group projects, Holly Barker not only mentors students in a wide range of disciplines herself, but helps her students mentor each other. This support helps her students succeed in individual and group research, with many presenting at the annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Here are some of the techniques she uses to mentor undergraduate researchers:

Help students identify and build on prior knowledge: Barker views every student as an expert. She helps students examine their experiences through an academic lens and share those insights with other students. In a recent introductory class, 鈥淐ulture of the Bomb,鈥� international students translated and presented summaries of news from their home countries. 鈥淜orean students talked about tensions between North and South Korea over nuclear issues, and students from Taiwan described the country鈥檚 challenges with nuclear waste,鈥� she says. In her 鈥淎nthropology of Sports鈥� course, student-athletes share their first-hand knowledge of the opportunities and challenges of being dedicated to both sports and their studies at an institution that excels in both realms.

Guide students to research topics of personal relevance and to research methods that best suit their strengths and goals: Barker has organized independent studies at the Burke Museum where she is a curator, including a study of Pacific Island objects by UW聽students from the Pacific Islands. 鈥淭he Burke is a place where students who benefit from hands-on, communal learning thrive,鈥� says Barker.

Trust that students can rise to a challenge: 鈥淚 now see I can give students more leadership and more freedom academically to demonstrate their learning, that I can trust them to be professional and to do a good job,鈥� Barker says, reflecting on a recent upper-division class that culminated in a public open house on environmental health issues related to the Hanford Nuclear Reservation (鈥淧ublic Policy and Environmental Health: Hanford,鈥� ANTH 479). When the students were dividing up tasks, such as marketing, emceeing, and leading table discussions, all were eager to contribute. 鈥淭here was one hundred percent participation in that class, and students were elated with the outcome,鈥� says Barker.

Set clear limits so you still have time for your own research: Barker has clearly delineated office hours for each group of her students. She says, 鈥淚 try to be very transparent with my students about what my time obligations are when I鈥檓 not with them. Letting them know when I have deadlines and other professional obligations also helps them understand the life of an academic, if they鈥檙e thinking about graduate school. This way they know that if I don鈥檛 have more time for them, it鈥檚 not because I don鈥檛 care. Rather, time is limited.鈥�

Help students mentor each other: 鈥淎t the start of every class, as a community-building opportunity, I allow time for student announcements,鈥� says Barker. 鈥淪omeone might say, 鈥業鈥檓 working at this place and they鈥檙e hiring so if anybody wants a job, let me know.鈥� Or, 鈥楳y department has a r茅sum茅 workshop and there鈥檚 free pizza.鈥� Through that kind of sharing, students see each other as resources and mentors, which can reduce the pressure on professors.鈥�

Resources: Seattle Times coverage of Barker鈥檚 students working on an independent study at the Burke Museum: Adam Jude, 鈥�,鈥� 14 November 2013.

¹Bridgstock, Ruth. 鈥淭he Graduate Attributes We鈥檝e Overlooked: Enhancing Graduate Employability Through Career Management Skills.鈥� Higher Education Research & Development 28, no. 1 (March 2009): 31鈥�44. doi:10.1080/07294360802444347.

²Stacey, Robert. 鈥淔rom the Dean: Changing Enrollments Reflect the Times.鈥� Perspectives Newsletter: College of Arts and Sciences, 91探花, May 2013. .

Learn More

Read the full Provost report on how to prepare students for life after graduation.