Graduates' retrospective program evaluations can provide relevant and reliable feedback on an institutions' performance in delivering quality instruction and services to its students. This descriptive survey research ascertains graduates' evaluations of science education program areas, including curriculum adequacy and relevance. Study…

Undergraduate biology majors are often overwhelmed by and underinformed about the diversity and complexity of biological research that is conducted on research-intensive campuses. We present a program that introduces undergraduates to the diversity and scope of biological research and also provides unique teaching opportunities for graduate…

We report on an outcomes assessment of the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Program at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Using follow-up survey data and academic transcripts, we gauge SURE's impact on levels of interest in, preparedness for, and actual pursuit of graduate study and professional careers in the sciences for the…

Reports on an experiment in institutional funding. Grants were awarded to universities with detailed plans for developing their science programs. Major findings of the study are reported in the areas of faculty size, faculty mobility, scholarly productivity, graduate student enrollment, Ph.D. production, postdoctorate employment and geographical…

Summarizes and reviews the peer review system of evaluating research proposals by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institute of Health. Includes National Academy of Sciences study of NSF peer review, appeals mechanism, and alternatives to peer review, such as Black grants and research productivity criteria. (SK)

This report covers the general issues involved in nuclear safety research and points out the areas needing detailed consideration. Topics included are: (1) "Principles of Nuclear Safety Research" (examining who should fund, who should conduct, and who should set the agenda for nuclear safety research); (2) "Elements of a Future…

The National Science Foundation initiated the Science Development Program in 1965 in order to enable selected universities to improve the quality of their resources for science education and research. The specific purpose was to develop the competence of the funded institutions in preparing research scholars (as certified by their awarding of the…

In 1965, the National Science Foundation began an experiment in institutional funding, the Science Development (SD) program. Setting as dual goals an upgrading of the science capabilities of second-tier universities and a broader geographical distribution of scientific resources throughout the nation, this program awarded over $130 million to…

This report, published in two volumes, provides a documentary record of the National Science Foundation's (NSF) Science Development Program (SDP). Information is given on overall university funding levels and on other development programs, with SDP goals and procedures described in detail. Using information on budgets and goals as well as…

Summarizes the author's experiences with undergraduate research in polymers at Purdue University. Suggests that such experiences may assist students in considering graduate study in chemical engineering. Presents data on 37 past participants' current positions and summarizes their answers to selected questions evaluating their undergraduate…

This publication was developed as a basic tool to measure success of Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) University Programs Division in achieving goals of the Faculty and Student Research Participation Programs operated for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Three questionnaires were created to directly address the goals and objectives of…

UCLA's Howard Hughes Undergraduate Research Program (HHURP), a collaboration between the College of Letters and Science and the School of Medicine, trains a group of highly motivated undergraduates through mentored research enhanced by a rigorous seminar course. The course is centered on the presentation and critical analysis of scientific journal…