Special Issue: The Future of Undergraduate Research Mentoring (Spring 2025)

A decade ago, the Center for Engaged Learning at Elon University sponsored a three-summer, multidisciplinary, and international research seminar on Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research (UR). This seminar resulted in sustained collaborative research projects and numerous products, such as special issues on Undergraduate Research Mentoring in Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning and the International Journal of Academic Development, a book published by the Council for Undergraduate Research – Excellence in Undergraduate Research Mentoring (Vandermaas-Peeler, Miller, and Moore, 2018), and faculty development opportunities to support high-quality mentoring in undergraduate research activities.

Undergraduate research is one exemplar of engaged learning, which is central to the mission of many institutions (Lopatto, 2006; Moore, 2023). In this call for manuscripts, we invite authors to reflect on what the field has learned about UR mentoring over the last ten years and to imagine key next steps in Undergraduate Research mentoring research and practice.

The editorial team is interested in manuscripts that build on key scholarship and help us better understand:

  • How we define high-quality mentoring of UR (e.g., Johnson et al., 2015) and enact the salient practices (Shanahan et al., 2015) and other evidence-based mentoring practices to foster meaningful learning experiences in UR
  • Mentoring models applicable for UR, including
    • Mentoring for course embedded research (e.g., CUREs; Wuetherick et al., 2018)
    • Co-mentoring of UR (Ketcham et al., 2018)
    • Constellations of mentors for UR (Thurman & Vandermaas-Peeler, 2023; Vandermaas-Peeler, Allocco, & Moore, 2023)
  • Mentoring student development in UR, including mentoring for career readiness (Hall et al., 2018)
  • Educational development for faculty mentors in UR (Baker et al., 2018; Moore & Felten, 2018; Healey & Jenkins, 2018)
  • Ways to assess student learning gains and mentor and program effectiveness (Lopatto, 2023)
  • International conversations about mentoring UR (Larson et al., 2018), including differences between mentoring and supervision of projects

The editorial team encourages manuscripts that address justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging (JEDI-B) when thinking about undergraduate research mentoring and mentoring practices.

Authors may submit case studies, practitioner pieces (e.g., program descriptions or novel idea descriptions), literature reviews, or original empirical research studies. Submissions may have student authors or co-authors. For more information about the types of articles accepted by PURM, please visit the website at https://www.elon.edu/u/academics/undergraduate-research/purm/for-authors/.

PURM is an open-access, multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed online journal supporting the mission of undergraduate research and the programs that strive to provide undergraduate students opportunities to participate in scholarly activities with faculty mentors. PURM’s unique focus on the process of undergraduate research and mentoring rather than the products of these activities provides a space for the growing undergraduate research community to share experiences, opportunities, concerns, and challenges in a rigorous, professional venue.

To be considered for the Special Issue on The Future of Undergraduate Research Mentoring, to be published in February 2025, manuscripts must be received by September 9, 2024. Full submission guidelines may be found at https://www.elon.edu/u/academics/undergraduate-research/purm/for-authors/. Any questions regarding PURM, the submission and review process, or article inquiries for the Special Issue may be directed to Drs. Maureen Vandermaas-Peeler, Jessie Moore, and Eric Hall (PURM@elon.edu). All other inquiries may be directed to Dr. Jen Hamel, Editor-in-Chief of PURM (jhamel2@elon.edu).

References:

Baker, V. L., Greer, J., Lunsford, L. G., Ihas, D., & Pifer, M. J. (2018). Supporting faculty development for mentoring in undergraduate research, scholarship and creative work. In M. Vandermaas-Peeler, P. C. Miller, & J. L. Moore (Eds.), Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research (pp. 131–154). Council on Undergraduate Research.

Hall, E. E., Walkington, H., Shanahan, J. O., Ackley, E., & Stewart, K. A. (2018). Mentor perspectives on the place of undergraduate research mentoring in academic identity and career development: An analysis of award winning mentors. International Journal for Academic Development, 23(1), 15–27. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2017.1412972

Healey, M., & Jenkins, A. (2018). The role of academic developers in embedding high-impact undergraduate research and inquiry in mainstream higher education: Twenty years’ reflection. International Journal for Academic Development, 23(1), 52–64. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2017.1412974

Johnson, W. B., Behling, L. L., Miller, P., & Vandermaas-Peeler, M. (2015). Undergraduate Research Mentoring: Obstacles and Opportunities. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 23(5), 441–453. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2015.1126167

Ketcham, C. J., Hall, E. E., Fitz-Gibbons, H., & Walkington, H. (2018). Co-mentoring in undergraduate research: A faculty development perspective. In M. Vandermaas-Peeler, P. C. Miller, & J. Moore (Eds.), Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research (pp. 155–179). Council for Undergraduate Research.

Larson, S., Partridge, L., Walkington, H., Wuetherick, B., & Moore, J. L. (2018). An international conversation about mentored undergraduate research and inquiry and academic development. International Journal for Academic Development, 23(1), 6–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2018.1415033

Lopatto, D. (2006). Undergraduate Research as a Catalyst for Liberal Learning. Peer Review, 8(1), 22–25.

Lopatto, D. (2023). Quantitative methods in the assessment of undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry. Scholarship and Practice of Undergraduate Research, 7.2, 5-12.

Moore, J.L. (2023). Key practices for fostering engaged learning: A guide for faculty and staff. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing.

Moore, J. L., & Felten, P. (2018). Academic development in support of mentored undergraduate research and inquiry. International Journal for Academic Development, 23(1), 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2018.1415020

Shanahan, J. O., Ackley-Holbrook, E., Hall, E., Stewart, K., & Walkington, H. (2015). Ten Salient Practices of Undergraduate Research Mentors: A Review of the Literature. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 23(5), 359–376. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2015.1126162

Thurman, S. L. & Vandermaas-Peeler, M. (2023). Adaptive undergraduate research mentoring in a constellation model. Perspectives on Undergraduate Research Mentoring, 11.1, 1-14.

Wuetherick, B., Willison, J., & Shanahan, J. O. (2018). Mentored undergraduate research at scale: Undergraduate research in the curriculum as pedagogy. In M. Vandermaas-Peeler, P. C. Miller, & J. L. Moore (Eds.), Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research (pp. 181–202). Council on Undergraduate Research.

Vandermaas-Peeler, M., Miller, P.C., & Moore, J. L. (Eds.). (2018). Excellence in mentoring undergraduate research. Council for Undergraduate Research: Washington, D.C.

Vandermaas-Peeler, M., Moore, J.L., & Allocco, A.L. (2023). A constellation model for mentoring undergraduates during COVID-19. Teaching & Learning Inquiry, 11, https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/TLI/article/view/75405/56577.