Date of Award
12-2025
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Engineering and Science Education
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Karen High
Committee Member
Dr. Matthew Boyer
Committee Member
Dr. Golnaz Arastoopour Irgens
Committee Member
Dr. Lisa Benson
Abstract
Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) are critically important methods for integrating undergraduate students into legitimate scientific practices. While widely celebrated for producing positive outcomes such as increased self-efficacy, research skills, and STEM retention, less is known about the processes through which undergraduate mentees become integrated members of their research groups and the broader scientific community. This dissertation presents findings from both a systematic literature review and a quantitative ethnographic study of a biological sciences URE at a southeastern R1 predominantly white institution (PWI). Grounded in communities of practice and legitimate peripheral participation frameworks, this study explores how undergraduate researchers build relationships, navigate power structures, and engage in cultural learning alongside their mentors. Findings reveal that personal connections—often formed through informal conversations and shared experiences—are critical yet under-recognized components of undergraduate research experiences. As mentees build these connections, shifting roles and power dynamics reshape relationships and alter the structure of the research group community. The intentional incorporation of scientific norms by the group, paired with a culture of interpersonal support, allows mentees to better understand scientific research and gradually integrate into the scientific community. These findings culminate in a cohesive conceptual model: the LAUNCH Framework (Learning and Advancing Undergraduate Researchers through Connections and Heuristics), which describes how undergraduates navigate layered research environments and transition from peripheral participants to legitimate contributors within a single scientific community. This work has implications for designing inclusive, community-oriented UREs that intentionally prioritize relationships and cultural integration.
Recommended Citation
Sims, Randi J., "Legitimacy, Learning, and LAUNCH: Exploring Relationships, Community, and Connection in an Undergraduate Research Experience" (2025). All Dissertations. 4168.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_dissertations/4168
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-6380-2460
Included in
Educational Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Science and Mathematics Education Commons