The Energy of Inquiry: Fulton Undergraduate Research Initiative (FURI)

For this integration effort, we initially added EM by working with individual students. We introduced EM/the 3Cs to students and showed them how the concepts, although nascent, were already discernible in their plans, and then guided revisions to bring the concepts to fruition in the students’ abstracts and posters. 
 
These initial efforts included having EM/KEEN information posted on the FURI website and on social media, as well as promoting the information through monthly newsletters. EM/KEEN was also represented at various research-oriented and tabling events at the Polytechnic and Tempe campuses, including Student Engagement Open Houses, faculty engagement events, and demystifying undergraduate research events.
 
We have partnered with KEEN for these promotional events. Ultimately, the following materials were affected by or created as a result of this integration effort:

• Student applications (administered through a custom Engineering Technical Services application platform)
• FURI symposium video
• Student interviews
• FURI book of abstracts (including the online form students use to submit their abstracts)
• KEEN fliers and other promotional materials 
• KEEN presentations
• FURI website
• Undergraduate research website 
• Social media 

To provide a more complete view, a timeline of our EM integration activities for FURI follows:

Spring 2016 

• Several faculty members were assigned the task of investigating how to incorporate EM into FURI (and student organizations), with the understanding that work would continue during the summer for fall implementation. 
• We started promoting FURI among KEEN Professors.
• We planned how to incorporate EM into FURI abstract and poster workshops, settling on discussing EM and how the 3Cs connect to student research and providing students with proposed outlines and content blocks for incorporating EM and the 3Cs into their abstracts and posters. 

Fall 2016

• We started introducing EM/3Cs to individual students. 
• Initial marketing materials were produced and distributed, as we launched our marketing and social campaigns developed in the spring.  
• The campaign included targeting engineering faculty interested in developing research that incorporates EM principles, and encouraged mentorship of undergraduates.  
• The campaign also included adding an article on KEEN in a prominent location within the Symposium Abstract Book to familiarize faculty and students with the network and EM.
• FURI students gained access to an online application to request funding for research integrating EM. These applicants were required to watch two videos on EM and answer questions regarding the content.  In their applications, these students were also required to highlight the connections and value creation components of their research. 

Spring 2017

• We continued working with individual students, including urging those with EM/3Cs projects to apply for KEEN Student Mini-Grant funding. 
• The KEEN team reviewed students’ FURI abstracts for EM suitability and found 50 that met the criteria. Ultimately, KEEN funding supported 15 presenters at the spring FURI Symposium. The KEEN research stipends were a way for students to have funding extend beyond the two standard FURI semesters. 
• Prior to the symposium, KEEN-sponsored students attended either an online or in-person training on EM, during which they were asked to share how they were applying EM principles to their research.
• During the event, these students presented in a KEEN-designated area of the symposium and the KEEN logo was included on their posters.  In the symposium abstract book, the profiles for these students noted that they applied EM in their work. 
• We re-ran the article on KEEN in the abstract book, and the KEEN team had a table at the Symposium. 
• We decided to begin reviewing FURI applications for EM suitability and working with student to integrate the EM element before the program starts.

Fall 2017

• We added EM to the FURI application system to be able to identify additional potential KEEN students through the FURI application process. 
• KEEN-funded students were more fully incorporated into the FURI program and proceeded through the Symposium presentation experience with other FURI participants (writing abstracts, designing a poster, getting a headshot, and presenting at the Symposium).
• We promoted KEEN/EM more widely by posting fliers and delivering short informational workshops.
• The article on KEEN and EM was again included in the FURI Symposium Abstract Book, and the KEEN team again had a table at the Symposium. 

Spring 2018

• KEEN-funded students were again more fully incorporated into the FURI program and proceeded through the Symposium presentation experience with other FURI participants, and we again promoted FURI among KEEN Professors.
• The article on KEEN and EM was again included in the FURI Symposium Abstract Book, and the KEEN team again had a table at the Symposium. 
• We identified FURI as a focus area for FSE’s overall assessment of its EM integration effort.

NOTE: Supporting resources for this case study can be found within its companion KEEN card (link below), which is also where the community can discuss the case and its broader topic.