Search

Research in self-compassion has rapidly increased. Providing a comprehension of the scientific knowledge landscape will be helpful for researchers to identify the gaps and develop future research ideas in this field without subjectivity. Thus, overarching structures in self-compassion Scopus-indexed research were sought to be analysed here. Bibliometric techniques were used to extract documents indexed in Scopus under the domain of self-compassion (N = 1,764 articles) using bibliophily, a web interface of the Bibliometrix 3.0 and VOSviewer to conduct analysis and visualisation. The number of published articles shows an upward trend; the United States occupies the leading position in publication volumes and citations. Undoubtedly, K. D. Neff and her sustained cited model were reported as a prolific author and influential article in self-compassion literature. The top affiliation was the University of Texas at Austin, which was the leading university in both production and citation. Mindfulness was a key journal that was considered in publication volume and received citations; however, authors tended to publish from diverse selected sources. The top 50 most frequently used terms were related to individual differences and psychological status. Finally, the thematic mapping provided a comprehensive illustration showing significant themes and knowledge gaps in self-compassion research, which categorised individual differences as basic, measurement validation as niche and PTSD as emerging themes. The current findings presented scientific mappings and extensive tables containing information that usefully proposes future directions and the critical broader scope of research in self-compassion.

The "chilly" science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) climate in undergraduate settings has been widely documented, as women in STEM majors frequently face discrimination, microaggressions, and implicit bias from their professors and peers. While undergraduate research experiences can help women in STEM overcome some of the barriers they face, these opportunities are not always accessible and inclusive. Although there is a breadth of literature on this topic, many studies utilize traditional quantitative and qualitative methods and do not take the authentic, individualized voices of these women into account. The present study integrates two arts-based participatory methodologies--Photovoice and collage inquiry--to explore the following questions: (1) What are the experiences of women in STEM majors at a large midwestern research-intensive university? (2) How do these women experience conducting and/or seeking research opportunities? Four themes emerged from the analysis of the triangulated data: (1) lack of equity in STEM, (2) lack of awareness of opportunities, (3) confidence in STEM abilities, and (4) passion for STEM. While the first two themes encompass barriers that women in STEM face, the second two themes demonstrate the strengths of women in STEM.

Racial and ethnic disparities in STEM achievement are associated with weaker economic growth, greater social inequalities, and narrower parameters of scientific inquiry. Extant research suggests that undergraduate research experiences (URE) can reduce those disparities by enhancing perceptions of belonging and scientific self-efficacy among students from underrepresented groups. However, to date, very few studies have examined the relationship between URE and "post-baccalaureate" educational achievement gains among such students and those that have tend to be limited in terms of causal leverage and generalizability. In this study, we aim to make progress by analyzing data from the California State University system's longstanding Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (CSU-LSAMP) program. Applying a quasi-experimental research design and drawing upon a large and representative sample of students whom we tracked over time, we observe that URE is strongly associated with post-baccalaureate enrollment and graduation in STEM disciplines among students from underrepresented backgrounds.

Introduction: Recruiting undergraduate students to participate in research has long been an established practice within psychology. Although this data source has weaknesses, this involvement in the research process has considerable pedagogical value in teaching students research methodology. Statement of the Problem: Most common software packages used to manage participant pools tend to be expensive, to the extent that it prohibits access for small institutions and departments. Literature Review: Highlighting the problem, we cite research related to using undergraduates as participants, pedagogical value of these experiences, and current trends in software distribution. We then provide evidence of successful implementation of open-source software (OSS) in educational settings, and conclude with OSS options capable of addressing the problem of access. Teaching Implications: By providing students research experiences, both as a researcher and as a participant, we enhance their understanding of this process. Secondary to this, we can foster within them a skill set that is valuable to disciplines outside of academia. Conclusion: The implementation of an OSS system to manage research participants provides a cost-effective means to expand the learning and research opportunities of available to students.

The increasing internationalization of Higher Education Institutions has facilitated universities from East Asian countries like Taiwan, Korea, and China to value university rankings more in enhancing their admissions and reputation. Especially when Taiwan and China are all considered belonging to Chinese social community, returnee doctorates are assumed to possess international experience that is theoretically helpful to improve their research productivity and university employers generally prefer foreign-trained doctorates. However, there is little research to prove that returnee doctorates are more productive than local doctorates because of more frequent international mobility. This research examines a University in Taiwan, a prominent academic research university, credible for its research productivity. From the perspective of bibliometrics, this study used the Scopus International Academic Database to identify publications, citations, and Field Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) as credible indicators of research productivity, controlling for personal background, doctoral training, international mobility, and research collaboration. We hope that the differences in research productivity between local and returnee doctorates can be measured more comprehensively and objectively. The results of this study found that there is a significant difference in the higher FWCI score of research publications between local and returnee doctorates, and further found that there is a significant positive relationship between local doctorates, published papers during doctoral studies, prestige of supervisors, and international and domestic research collaboration on research productivity. Those that identified international mobility in careers had a stronger impact on research productivity compared to those of the doctorate educating stage, and both international and domestic research collaboration were important for research productivity. The results based on empirical analysis broke the myths of returnee doctorate corresponding to high research productivity in this study, and can serve as a reference for faculty recruitment and research environment enhancement in research-oriented universities in Taiwan and other Asian countries. Policy implications are also discussed.

This study examines the nuanced interplay among Research Support, Industry Participation, Independent Learning, and Independent Campus (Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka, MBKM), examining their collective influence on graduate quality within the framework of Indonesian higher education. Employing a quantitative methodology, the research investigates how research support and industry participation impact MBKM and subsequently influence graduate quality, with MBKM functioning as a mediator. The study's outcomes validate the substantial contributions of research support and industry participation in shaping both MBKM and graduate quality, underscoring the interconnected nature of these variables. Notably, MBKM emerges as a pivotal mediator, establishing a link between the supportive structures and industry collaborations, thereby fostering improved graduate outcomes. This research makes significant contributions by advancing theoretical understanding, specifically by extending existing frameworks to integrate the mediating role of MBKM. In practical terms, the study yields actionable insights for educational institutions and policymakers, underscoring the significance of robust research support, fruitful industry collaborations, and the effective implementation of MBKM. Limitations of the study include its reliance on a quantitative approach and the potential influence of contextual constraints. Recommendations entail the ongoing adaptation of MBKM and policy adjustments to align with the dynamic demands of the workforce. In conclusion, this study presents a comprehensive framework for enhancing higher education practices in Indonesia, ultimately promoting graduate quality and relevance.

Research and innovation are highlighted as significant priorities among Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the Philippines. However, most HEIs in the country have a poor culture of research and innovation, which results in low academic productivity. This literature review was conducted to understand the dynamics of a teaching, research, and innovative university, discuss the current status of Philippine HEIs in terms of research (R&D)-innovation productivity, and excerpt best practices from leading universities in the country as a benchmark for other higher institutions toward building a culture of research and innovation. This study highlights different viewpoints but reveals one thing in common among the established research universities: they have exemplary administrative leadership and proper institutional framework, with strong qualifications from their faculty to absorb all the resources pouring in, thereby significantly boosting them and yielding a fruitful result in terms of research and innovation. With these, other Philippines HEIs need to build and develop a vital research and innovative culture among their stakeholders to produce tangible outcomes, which can be utilized for industry-related improvements and new market opportunities, and to address the nation's most pressing issues. Without the support and proper compensation within academia, industry, and government, the pool of talents will be put on the shelf. Nevertheless, leveling up from teaching institutions to become a research and innovative academia remains interesting as it depends primarily on the university's vision and actions, which are mostly affected by its internal and external environment. This paper hopes to be a springboard in formulating policy and practice toward enhancing research and innovation efficiency among the Philippine HEI's that could contribute to the overall nationwide progress.

Undergraduate and graduate research opportunities represent a unique educational opportunity for students in that they can stimulate students' interest and potential careers in academic disciplines. Students who are single parents can also benefit from this opportunity, yet they are often overlooked by faculty members. In this article, we describe some of the challenges and benefits of involving students who are single parents in research laboratories.

Undergraduate research is a "high-impact" educational practice that enriches student learning and facilitates student career advancement. This sequential explanatory mixed methods study, composed of a quantitative online questionnaire followed by qualitative focus group interviews, sought to explore undergraduate student attitudes on research and elicit perceived facilitators and barriers to undergraduate research engagement. The survey respondents (N = 377), all undergraduate health sciences students at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, generally had positive attitudes toward undergraduate research, but had polarized perceptions of its accessibility, supportiveness, and appreciation. Follow-up focus group interviews with selected participants (N = 11) revealed four main themes: (1) the hidden curriculum of undergraduate research; (2) the paucity of meaningful research work for emerging student researchers; (3) the administrative barriers within the undergraduate research landscape; and (4) the inequitable access to undergraduate research opportunities. This study's findings suggest potential avenues to improve the undergraduate student research experience.

The call to increase student participation in high-impact practices (HIPs) to improve student learning, satisfaction, and retention is being answered in a multitude of ways. Faculty and staff involved in undergraduate research see this as validation of their efforts, which it is. However, Kuh & O'Donnell's (2013) work challenges research mentors to reevaluate their efforts in order to intentionally provide an even richer and more engaging research experience. Making undergraduate research a high-impact practice requires thinking inclusively about how the research experience can be scaled across the curriculum, adjusted to increase student engagement, and adapted to student preparation and desired learning outcomes. This article presents the work of a statewide multidisciplinary faculty team that developed a scalable taxonomy for incorporating high-impact practices into student learning experiences and to serve as a roadmap for designing and assessing undergraduate research experiences. The authors offer a layered taxonomy, with milestones of increasing engagement, that establishes what sets a HIP undergraduate research experience apart from other HIP experiences and what distinguishes good practices from high-impact teaching. Aligning undergraduate research experiences with best practices across disciplines, types of research opportunities, and student achievement level was a key goal in the taxonomy development. We present cases where the taxonomy was applied to research opportunities embedded in general education courses across disciplines and different modalities. In these vignettes, the utility of the taxonomy as a tool for assessing course design and teaching effectiveness is examined and common challenges in development, implementation, and assessment of student learning experiences are also explored.

Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) are attractive solutions for scaling undergraduate research experiences at primarily undergraduate teaching institutions, where resources for faculty research activities can be limited. The Sustainable Interdisciplinary Research to Inspire Undergraduate Success (SIRIUS) project is a unique program that integrates CUREs, coordinated around a local real-world problem, throughout a biology department's curricula. The CUREs are scaffolded to provide all biology majors with multiple opportunities to engage in scientific investigations as they advance through introductory, intermediate, and advanced courses. In this mixed methods, cross-sectional study, we explore students' perceptions of the authenticity of their experiences as they progress through the SIRIUS CUREs. Triangulated data collected from two instruments indicated that students in advanced courses recognized more involvement in research activities and perceived greater authenticity in the science they were performing compared with introductory and intermediate students. Intermediate and advanced students perceived more opportunities for independence; however, experiences with failure and the influence these experiences had on the perceptions of authenticity was primarily observed with advanced students. This study contributes to the growing literature on CUREs with a focus on students from a primarily undergraduate institution with multiple minority-serving designations.

This study analyses international research collaboration (IRC) trends of South African public universities during the 2012-2021 period. While previous studies have explored IRC trends between South Africa and the rest of the world, there is a gap in literature when it comes to the analysis of institutional IRC trends. Using bibliometric data from Scopus, we analyse the internationally coauthored scholarly output of 24 public universities. Our focus is on the annual and overall institutional IRC trends; a comparison of IRC trends between different institutional types; and an analysis of institutional IRC trends broken down by world regions. Our findings show that the inequalities rooted in colonial and apartheid policies continue to be evident in South African higher education, and that most of the scholarly output through IRC is produced by historically white institutions (HWIs). The findings highlight that HWIs prioritise IRC with the Global North while neglecting research collaboration with the African continent and Global South. On the other hand, even though research output at historically black institutions (HBIs) is low, these institutions prioritise intra-Africa and South-South IRC. Our findings highlight the need for the government to move beyond the policy rhetoric and implement programmes that would enable HBIs to develop capacity to produce scholarly output through national and international collaboration. The government also needs to develop incentives for universities which are contributing to the expansion and strengthening of IRC within the African continent and Global South, in line with the national higher education and research priorities.

For the last few decades, there has been an ongoing academic debate about the integration of sustainability into the curricula of higher education institutions to address various global challenges. Legal education is no exception. Taking into consideration that the new generation of legal professionals will be responsible for the development of regulations as well as for advocating for the individuals' interests related to global issues, they need to be equipped with knowledge and skills to tackle these complex problems effectively. In this context, teachers1 play a crucial role, since they can instill in their students a sense of responsibility towards the future generations. The aim of this paper is to analyze how the concept of sustainability can be integrated into the curriculum of legal education in general and in Latvia in particular. To achieve the aim, the following research methods are used: legal analysis to examine the meaning and the place of the concept of sustainability in the context of legal education in Latvia and a scientific literature review to investigate the concept of sustainability in the context of integrating it into the curriculum of legal education. The main conclusions of the article: the future strategy for law schools and law faculties in Latvia should involve the incorporation of sustainability into the learning outcomes of law programs and specific courses, teaching strategies, and research opportunities for students; also, by broadening interdisciplinarity of the programs and involving students in collaboration with various stakeholders to promote sustainable development.

Through funding from the National Science Foundation to create a Research Experience for Teachers site at North Dakota State University, the authors provided summer research experiences to current secondary (6th to 12th grade) educators to improve their understanding of the civil engineering field and develop new curriculum modules for their classrooms. Reflection of the first summer program in 2021 highlighted several modifications that could be made to improve the quality of the program and curriculum developed, increase the accessibility to underserved and/or underrepresented populations and to better utilize the limited resources available. This paper summarizes the successes of the RET program and provides several concrete recommendations for future programs. Specifically, recruiting of both teachers and faculty could be more effective when personal communications through known contacts are used. Flexibility in the approach without compromising rigor and expectations allows for a more inclusive program that supports underserved and marginalized populations.

In this article, we explore the use of Facebook targeted advertisements for the collection of survey data. We illustrate the potential of survey sampling and recruitment on Facebook through the example of building a large employee--employer linked data set as part of The Shift Project. We describe the workflow process of targeting, creating, and purchasing survey recruitment advertisements on Facebook. We address concerns about sample selectivity and apply poststratification weighting techniques to adjust for differences between our sample and that of "gold standard" data sources. We then compare univariate and multivariate relationships in the Shift data against the Current Population Survey and the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997. Finally, we provide an example of the utility of the firm-level nature of the data by showing how firm-level gender composition is related to wages. We conclude by discussing some important remaining limitations of the Facebook approach, as well as highlighting some unique strengths of the Facebook targeted advertisement approach, including the ability for rapid data collection in response to research opportunities, rich and flexible sample targeting capabilities, and low cost, and we suggest broader applications of this technique.

Bachelor of Science Global Environmental Science majors at the University of Hawai?i at Manoa (a large, public research-intensive university) are required to complete a faculty-mentored, independent research experience, write a thesis, and orally present their research in a public symposium. To help students achieve these requirements, the Global Environmental Science Transformative Undergraduate Research Experience (GESTURE) presents an academic program's curriculum pathway that features (1) research onboarding and skill-building oriented courses, (2) individualized research opportunities, and (3) an emphasis on developing communication skills. We used student oral presentation and thesis evaluation results (n = 49) collected from fall 2014 to spring 2018 and a focus group interview (n = 6) to investigate students' learning achievement and their perceived program efficacy. The results revealed that the students in our study (1) demonstrated high levels of learning achievement related to research practice and research communication skills supported by multiple sources of evidence, and (2) considered the curriculum support structure to be imperative to their successful completion of a rigorous undergraduate research experience. We conclude with five program features that other undergraduate research programs can adapt to fit their needs: (1) research onboarding course with guidance to explore research and interact with faculty; (2) frequent and structured opportunities for students to practice and receive feedback on oral presentation and thesis writing; (3) a credit-bearing independent research course; (4) culminating experience through public presentation and theses review processes; and (5) holistic, wrap-around personal and academic support for students.

As the engineering education research (EER) field is yet to fully mature, there are few formally established pathways to EER. Consequently, most researchers transition to EER after completing technical engineering qualifications. Reconciling this training with the distinctly different expectations of educational research creates unique challenges for these researchers, who must also navigate colleagues' perceptions of EER as a 'soft' discipline with reduced reward and recognition prospects. To understand why and how individuals make the transition, this study used semi-structured interviews with emerging engineering education researchers to develop a conceptual model of the EER transition process through the lens of Bourdieu's Theory of Practice. Those engaging in EER are intrinsically interested in education and recognise research output is highly valued within universities. Transitioning requires researchers to develop capital in the form of networks, opportunities, and skills. This leads to researchers evolving their epistemological beliefs to align with educational research. Recommendations are made for supporting successful transitions to EER.

For U.S. research universities, cluster hiring has become a popular means to add faculty members in university-defined priority fields. The expectation of advocates is that these faculty members will collaborate on high-impact research. Utilizing a national sample of 168 cluster-hire faculty members from eight U.S. research universities, we find statistically significant gains in research output, collaborations, and research impact from pre- to post-hire. However, these gains are not distributed equally. Some output and impact measures show greater gains for white and Asian researchers relative to under-represented minorities and for men relative to women. Significant gains in research output are associated with fields like advanced materials and health sciences for which generous external support is available. Significant research impact is associated with researchers located in wealthy, prestigious universities. The findings indicate that cluster hiring is no cure-all for fields that are disadvantaged in the competition for external funding or for non-elite universities that are disadvantaged in the competition for prestige.

The aim of this article is twofold. It describes a long-term relationship with a not-for-profit organisation in the UK, focusing on a particular project that used drama as a tool for building self-confidence and employability. At the same time it reviews autoethnography as a research method, describing its distinctive features and questioning the relationship between empathy and exploitation, informed consent and coercive participant-manipulation. This aspect will be couched, at least in part, in terms of its own autoethnographical journey, one that interrogates the insider/outsider status of researchers whose work does not always sit comfortably within a context of identity, identification and the increasing pressure to develop work that takes place behind closed doors into public-facing outputs.

Undergraduate research benefits students by strengthening skills, providing professional growth, and improving retention. Yet significant barriers exist, including low awareness of opportunities, restrictive cultural norms, and resource constraints. The proliferation of online education potentially increases barriers, both real and perceived. This study compared participation rates and perceived barriers between undergraduate distance and traditional students. Survey results indicated no significant differences in self-reported participation or overall interest in research. Despite inherent structural limitations of online education, there were no significant differences in the respondents' perceptions of access to opportunities, physical resources, or human resources. Significant differences were seen regarding awareness of research opportunities. Although institution-specific moderating factors may influence results, this information is valuable for strategic planning aimed at increasing opportunities and awareness for undergraduates.

This article reviews the state of Canada's undergraduate research opportunities (UROs) in the life sciences across various institutions. Survey data gathered in 2019 from 20 departments in 14 universities show that all responding departments offer well-established forms of research that include credit-based directed studies or honors-thesis courses. Paid research opportunities are offered by 80-95 percent of the responding departments. Newer-generation UROs such as course-based undergraduate research experiences and inquiry-based lab courses were found to be offered by more than half of responding departments. Additionally, 60 percent reported having co-curricular and student-driven URO initiatives. Overall, the survey data reflect a well-established and growing portfolio of UROs at universities across Canada.

The delivery of research-informed education is a fundamental principle held by universities and is a principle that work-integrated education (WIL) should not be exempt from. In the 1980s and 1990s, critical reviews of the WIL literature suggested WIL research required significant development. Since these reviews were conducted a significant, well-developed body of literature has formed and increasingly WIL models of delivery are relying on research findings to inform program design. However, despite these successes, significant challenges and research gaps still exist. Authors in this "APJCE" special issue have given attention to a number of areas that present as challenges. The area of negative and neglected research findings are highlighted and the reexamining the nature of the relationship between the student and workplace supervisor has been discussed. A model of enabling transformative learning is presented and an investigation of the influence of WIL experiences on undergraduate student study direction choices has been reported. Other areas in need of further research attention are also discussed.

Two decades ago, when the author evaluated the impacts of Summer Research Opportunity Programs focused on minority undergraduates in STEM at 15 universities, blacks, Latinx/Hispanics, and Native Americans were dramatically underrepresented among PhD recipients in STEM fields. In the 20 years that followed, there have been significant increases in the representation of blacks and Latinx among STEM PhD recipients. The author discusses changes in research programs focused on underrepresented minorities over the last two decades, as well as the best practices that have not only enabled underrepresented minority participants to succeed in graduate school but also may improve the outcomes of any research program attempting to recruit and retain more undergraduates in STEM.

For 60 years, the National Science Foundation's commitment to undergraduate research experiences has shaped the course of undergraduate research opportunities, from apprenticeship model-based experiences to team-based and classroom-based collaborations for a diverse group of students. Scaling the opportunity so that students may participate in an equitable and inclusive way has been a priority since the inception of the program. Applying the growing research base in undergraduate science, engineering, and mathematics education to development of optimal research experiences for undergraduates is the next frontier.

Undergraduate research opportunities have expanded from elite universities in the United States to universities and institutions of all ranks and sizes. Research studies have shown positive outcomes in regards to the research experience for undergraduates (REU), such as enhanced research skills and competencies. However, with the widespread implementation of REU programs across the country, there are some challenging issues, such as fierce competition among students for limited participation opportunities and underrepresented students' needs commonly being overlooked. This study reported a three-year, nine-week REU Site program in cybersecurity designed for underrepresented students (women and minorities) and participants from institutions with limited research opportunities. Results showed that most participants enjoyed the opportunity to work on a real-world project which afforded them research experience in the REU program as it helped participants improve various research skills. The study contributes to the design of REU programs for underrepresented students and students with limited research opportunities. Recommendations for future REU programs are discussed.

We argue that cultural capital plays an underexamined role in students' recognition as budding scientists by faculty. By triangulating interview data from undergraduates and faculty mentors in a multi-institutional biology research network, we identified a set of intersecting domains of capital that help render students recognizable to faculty. We argue that faculty recognition often reflects a (mis)alignment between the cultural capital that students possess and display and what faculty expect to see. To understand "why" mis- or underrecognition occurs, and how this influenced students' opportunities to further develop cultural capital, we explored our data set for patterns of explanation. Several key themes cut across students' experiences and influenced their recognition by faculty: Faculty more easily recognized students interested in research science trajectories and those involved in institutional programs to support science, technology, engineering, and mathematics success. Students with competing family responsibilities struggled to maintain faculty recognition. Finally, faculty who broadened their scopes of recognition were able to affirm the science identities of students with fewer incoming cultural resources in science and support their development of capital. Students can and do develop scientific cultural capital through practice, but this requires access to research and mentorship that explicitly teaches students the implicit "rules of the game."

The project of establishing a European community since World War II has been further advanced by adding - besides the four freedoms of free movement of goods, persons, services and capital - a fifth freedom -- the free circulation of researchers, knowledge and technology -- that intends to promote community building at the level of higher education and research and by creating of a European Research Area (ERA). Based on a study of academic careers of postdocs in Switzerland and secondary data, the paper aims to analyse the key governing principles implied in the standard of transnational academic mobility of 'human capital' as well as the experiences of individual researchers in coordinating their interests and lives in this context. We refer to the theoretical framework of the economics of conventions and regimes of engagements by Boltanski and Thévenot. We show that the policies, values and norms of the ERA and the standard of geographic mobility are, at their core, based on four conventions -- industry, market, project and fame. This arrangement forces researchers to establish themselves as academic self-entrepreneurs in the knowledge market. In consequence, the mobility requirement of the ERA governance regime makes it difficult for individuals to engage in an individual plan, in familiarity and in exploration.

In their 2005 "Harvard Business Review" article, Bennis and O'Toole described business schools as being "on the wrong track" as a result of their focus on so-called scientific research. Some commentators argue that business schools have slowly lost their relevance since the end of the 1950s when they undertook a major overhaul in response to the harsh criticism of the Ford and the Carnegie Foundations on the state of theory and research in business administration. Inspired by Khurana's (2007) book on the development of American business schools, this article describes the debate on the relevance of scientific business research that can be found in the popular business press and the academic literature, and suggests a number of structural and cultural changes to increase the relevance of business research and its impact on practice. (Contains 2 notes.)

The purpose of the research was, with the aid of a short questionnaire, to determine how postgraduate students (N = 32) perceive the opportunities for creative research in general, and how they perceive creativity in the preparation of their own research work in particular. Descriptive analysis shows that students (1) perceive a positive study-research climate that encourages creative processes (independence, motivation, intellectual challenges); (2) judge that researchers have numerous opportunities for creative work in the various phases of research; and (3) evaluate themselves as highly creative individuals in everyday life. Students perceive themselves as being at their most creative in the definition of the research problem, which they mainly identify with the use of personal strategies (work experience) and take various lengths of time to form, typically up to one year. The most difficult problem in this regard is represented by giving meaning to the problem (breadth, depth, specificity, application). Amongst the perceived encouragement with which mentors motivate students for creative research the most frequent is less directive general guidance in study and research. On the basis of the presented findings, guidelines are suggested for the more effective encouragement of creative research in postgraduate students.

With some NIH pay lines running at or below the 10th percentile, and funding becoming scarce for large science grants, new approaches are necessary to secure large interdisciplinary grant awards. The UCSD Moores Cancer Center has developed a team approach, starting with the identification of a competitive opportunity and progressing to the designation of a project team of faculty and administrators through to the submission of a finely tuned product. An important aspect of this approach is that scientists and administrators are on an equal footing, bringing to the table unique skill sets and experience critical to the process. While every application will not be successful, the effort will not fail from an apparent absence of expertise, diligence, or awareness. Grant development will be a more critical area of research administration as competition for limited funds increases. (Contains 1 table and 1 figure.)

Engineering, the "E" in STEM, is seldom taught as a distinct curriculum subject in English and Welsh schools to pupils under the age of 14 years. This contrasts with design and technology (D&T), taken in this paper to represent the largest contributor to the "T" in STEM (the remainder being taken to be the computing and digital communications aspects of ICT), which is currently taught to all pupils up to the age of 14 and remains a very popular option thereafter. The UK Government STEM programme (with sister projects: the LSIS 16+ STEM programme, the London Engineering Project and the 14-19 Diploma in Engineering) has provided large-scale action-research opportunities to better understand the nature of the T and E in STEM. This paper describes how the T and E in STEM have been found to be subjects in their own right and also to provide practical context for other STEM subjects. Some effective-practice guidelines have been established as a result, and these are discussed, but the paper concludes there is still much to do to fully establish the identity and character of the T and the E in STEM. Ideas for how this might develop are offered. (Contains 3 figures.)

This study examined how teachers who practice culturally relevant pedagogy describe their work and its challenges. Data is from ten semi-structured interviews with teachers in Vancouver Canada. Analysis revealed four themes in relation to participants' practice to support culturally diverse students: 1) An inclusive classroom of meaningful student-teacher relationships, collaborative learning, and a respectful classroom climate; 2) Expanded conception of the curriculum that validates students' cultures, develop critical consciousness and agency; 3) A resource team including families and support workers; 4) Purposeful renewal of knowledge via research and professional development. In addition, participants described institutional barriers common to their practice. (Contains 1 figure and 1 table.)

Previous research has examined the phenomenon of women "opting out" of the corporate environment. Much of this research has examined both "pull" factors--those of home and family life, and "push" factors--those within the organization which create a competitive environment where women feel they cannot achieve the same measure of success as their male counterparts. Similar forces, which create push in the corporate environment, are also present in academia preventing female academicians from achieving an equal presence in the higher levels of academia as their male counterparts. While the makeup of postsecondary education among students has reached a more balanced ratio in bachelors, masters and doctorial degrees, the gender make up of tenured professors and administrators in the academy still lags behind. The existence of this phenomenon presents similar loses and opportunity costs for universities as experienced by industrial organizations. This leads to the following questions; 1) How wide is the faculty and leadership gender gap in academia, 2) How have these gaps manifested in academia, and 3) What are the direct or indirect costs associated with this employment gap? The answer to these questions may lead to extensive additional research opportunities to discover strategies and guidance in the resolving these problems. (Contains 43 footnotes and 2 figures.)