Social Psychology of Undergraduate Learning

Our research group is interested in how social psychological and sociocultural phenomena influence undergraduate learning, development, and success in the life sciences. Our group primarily studies science research as a context for teaching, learning, and mentoring. In particular, we study course-based undergraduate research experiences (often called CUREs; see website for CUREnet) and mentoring of undergraduate researchers in the life sciences. We also study how interpersonal interactions and configurations promote or hinder student learning and success in biology courses. We make use theory and methods from social and organizational psychology to understand the interpersonal and contextual factors that influence undergraduates’ access to research, their personal and professional development, and their educational and career trajectories.