
The Long-term Undergraduate Research Experience (LURE) model for the mathematical sciences, a collaboration between the mathematics faculty at Central Michigan University, Coppin State University, Olin College and the University of Richmond, emphasizes the early recruitment of undergraduates to mathematical research and the involvement of students in mathematics research experiences that are more sophisticated than possible with traditional single-summer research experiences to attract and retain students interested in pursuing serious mathematics study.
The program builds upon the success of the apprentice model often used in the physical and life sciences, wherein scientists routinely engage first-and second-year undergraduates in research and then ontinue to mentor these students until they are prepared to pursue graduate degrees. Specifically, the LURE model recruits students early in their undergraduate careers and pairs them with faculty who serve as mentors throughout a two-year research experience in the mathematical sciences.
The LURE model emphasizes close mentoring relationships, teamwork, and the development of oral and written communication skills. The LURE program also provides support and training for faculty to mentor undergraduate research projects. Over the four years of the grant, LURE will engage a total of 80 undergraduates and 28 faculty from a diverse collection of institutions (a comprehensive university, a historically black university, a gender-balanced engineering college, a selective liberal arts college and an all-women's college). The diversity of our collaboration increases the transferability of our model and findings to a wide range of institutions.
A yearly LURE conference will showcase the results of the teams at all participating institutions, serve as a dissemination outlet for the apprentice model applied to mathematics, and provide an opportunity for assessment, reflection and programmatic improvements.