RISE Session   2007 2006 2005 2004 2003

RISE Site Administration

Please provide a reply to the following specific questions (you may add any other, as you desire)

1. Did working on the project (check all that apply)

Provide experience in how research is planned, conducted and reported

Enhance your interest to pursue research as part of your future career goal

2. Was the research related material given to you prior to or upon your arrival of value? If yes, how?

3. Was the program related material given to you prior to or upon your arrival of value?  If yes, how?

4. Describe your experience in working as a member of a research team? Was it valuable
(comment in what respect) or would you have liked to work on it individually?

5. If you worked individually was it valuable ( comment in what respect) or would you have liked to work on it as a member of a team?

6. Describe your experience with oral presentations of the research proposals and final presentations. Did the RISE experience enhance your technical presentation skills and how? Are you more confident in making presentations than before?

7. Describe your experience and personal contributions in the preparation of the final
project report and presentation? Did the feedback given to you by your mentor, other interns and mentors, help you in improving the quality of your final report? Did this experience enhance your technical writing skills?

8. How useful were the seminars (comment in what respect)?

9. Did the Faculty Mentor provide the guidance you desired (comment what and how)?

10. Did the graduate students, post-docs or other undergraduate students working in your laboratory provide the help you desired (comment what and how)?

11. What was the most rewarding experience you had while participating in RISE?

12. What was the most frustrating experience you had while participating in RISE?

13. Would you recommend this program to your peers?

14. Additional Comments:

MENTOR RATING

Consider each statement using the scale below and place a number rating for each item in the blank.

15. Interactions with my RISE mentor and/or mentors was both intellectually stimulating and interpersonally rewarding.  1 2 3 4 5 6

16. My RISE mentor and/or mentors was easily accessible to answer questions about my project or discuss research ideas. 1 2 3 4 5 6

17. My RISE mentor and/or mentors modeled the process of scientific inquiry in a manner that improved my understanding. 1 2 3 4 5 6

18. My RISE mentor and/or mentors showed interest in the research I was conducting. 1 2 3 4 5 6

19. My RISE mentor and/or mentors supplied me with needed materials and supplies in a timely manner. 1 2 3 4 5 6

20. My RISE mentor and/or mentors provided appropriate background information (reading, lecture, individual discussions) which helped me to understand and prepare my research project. 1 2 3 4 5 6

21. My RISE mentor and/or mentors helped to minimize anxieties I had concerning the research process. 1 2 3 4 5 6

22.  My RISE mentor and/or mentors did an excellent job of mentoring during the RISE program. 1 2 3 4 5 6

RESEARCH TRAINING ENVIRONMENT
Consider each statement using the scale below. Place a number rating for each item in the blank or NA (not applicable) if the item does not apply to you.
Note: “RISE mentor” is used in a general sense and it includes graduate students as well as professors with whom you have interacted.

23. The research during the  program was intellectually challenging and stimulating. 1 2 3 4 5 6

24. The RISE faculty rarely acknowledged the achievements of the students. 1 2 3 4 5 6

25. Many of the RISE faculty did not seem to be very interested in doing research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

26. The RISE faculty did what it could to make the research requirements of the program as rewarding as possible. 1 2 3 4 5 6

27. The RISE faculty seemed to notice only a few selected students in terms of reinforcing research achievements. 1 2 3 4 5 6

28. The RISE program provided concrete support for students’ research (e.g., access to computers, access to lab facilities, research supplies). 1 2 3 4 5 6

29. I feel the RISE faculty expected too much from my research project. 1 2 3 4 5 6

30. There was informal sharing of research ideas during the RISE program. 1 2 3 4 5 6

31. The RISE faculty understood and accepted that any piece of research would have its methodological problems. 1 2 3 4 5 6

32.  I was encouraged to get involved in some aspect of a research project from the very beginning of the RISE program. 1 2 3 4 5 6

33. I had the opportunity to learn about several major research approaches (e.g., field, laboratory, experimental). 1 2 3 4 5 6

34. There were opportunities to become part of a research team. 1 2 3 4 5 6

35. I was encouraged during the RISE program to find and follow research ideas of interest to me. 1 2 3 4 5 6

36. The research climate during the RISE program was one in which students were encouraged to pose questions they themselves were curious about. 1 2 3 4 5 6

37. Different research methodologies were modeled during the RISE program. 1 2 3 4 5 6

38. The RISE faculty enjoyed discussing ideas. 1 2 3 4 5 6

39. The research was difficult to get started because it was organized in a way that was anxiety provoking. 1 2 3 4 5 6

40. Students in the RISE program received training in how to design and logically analyze research studies. 1 2 3 4 5 6

41. I got the impression during the RISE program that my research work has to be of great value in the field to be worthwhile. 1 2 3 4 5 6

42. The RISE faculty is involved in the conduct and publication of quality research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

43. Science ethics were presented in a way that was *insensitive* to students’ level of development as a researcher. 1 2 3 4 5 6

44. The RISE faculty did a good job of showing students how ethics are actually used in environmental science. 1 2 3 4 5 6
.
45. There was the opportunity during the RISE program to collaborate with others as part of a research team. 1 2 3 4 5 6

46. The RISE faculty encouraged me to pursue a research question in which I was interested. 1 2 3 4 5 6

47. The RISE faculty encouraged my research activities and accomplishments. 1 2 3 4 5 6
 
48. The RISE faculty presented an extremely narrow range of research methodologies. 1 2 3 4 5 6
.
49. During the RISE program there was a focus on understanding the logic of research design. 1 2 3 4 5 6

50. The RISE faculty stressed that it was important to pursue research ideas that were personally interesting. 1 2 3 4 5 6

51. During the RISE program working as part of a research team was fun and intellectually stimulating. 1 2 3 4 5 6

52. It was difficult to get started on your research project because you had limited opportunity to collaborate with the RISE faculty. 1 2 3 4 5 6

53. There seemed to be a general attitude that there was one best way to do research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

54. I had the feeling, during the RISE program, that my research project needed to be completely original and revolutionary to be acceptable. 1 2 3 4 5 6

55. I received quality training in the use of statistics in environmental science. 1 2 3 4 5 6

56. I got the impression from the RISE faculty that, although a single study does not revolutionize thinking in the scientific community, such a study can contribute a useful piece to an unfolding body of knowledge. 1 2 3 4 5 6

57. The RISE environment promoted the idea that although parts of research must be done alone, other parts may involve working closely with other colleagues. 1 2 3 4 5 6

58. The RISE faculty was generally sensitive to students’ anxieties and feelings about mathematics. 1 2 3 4 5 6

59. The RISE faculty did not seem to really care if students were genuinely interested in research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

60. During the RISE program students were introduced to a wide range of research methodologies (e.g., field, laboratory, experimental, survey). 1 2 3 4 5 6

61. From the very beginning of the RISE program, students received mentoring from RISE faculty that helped develop the skills and the confidence needed to engage in research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

62. I felt I had to choose a research topic of interest to the RISE faculty at the expense of my own interests. 1 2 3 4 5 6

63. During the RISE program students felt that their personal research ideas were squashed during the process of collaborating with RISE faculty. 1 2 3 4 5 6

64. Students seemed to get involved in thinking about research from the very start of the RISE program. 1 2 3 4 5 6

65. The RISE faculty was quite open in sharing their research ideas. 1 2 3 4 5 6

66. The RISE faculty showed excitement about research and scholarly activities. 1 2 3 4 5 6

Self-efficacy and Attitudes Scale
Below is a series of statements asking about your attitudes toward research and your confidence in doing various research related activities. Consider each statement using the scale below and place a number rating for each item in the blank.

67.  I place a high value on the role of research in my future career.  1 2 3 4 5 6

68. I am confident in my ability to discuss research finding in the area of my RISE research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

69. I enjoy reading research studies in the environmental sciences literature and in particular my specific sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

70. I am confident in my ability to evaluate research findings in terms of their application to environmental science and in particular my specific sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

71. Research conducted in environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline is of little value to society. 1 2 3 4 5 6

72. Attending graduate school is not  a major priority for me. 1 2 3 4 5 6

73. I am confident in my ability to understand research literature in the field of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

74. Developing research skills is not an important part of my career goals. 1 2 3 4 5 6

75. I am confident in my ability to evaluate the quality of a research study in the area of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

76. Researchers in the field of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline should focus on research which can be used to improve the lives of others. 1 2 3 4 5 6

77. I am confident in my ability to design an environmental science research study. 1 2 3 4 5 6

78. I think learning to do research is enjoyable. 1 2 3 4 5 6

79. I find research to be challenging and exciting. 1 2 3 4 5 6

80. I am confident in my ability to understand research in the area of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

81. Research in environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline is important because findings provide important information for policy makers. 1 2 3 4 5 6

82. I am interested in attending graduate school to do research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

83.  I am confident in my ability to apply science ethics to research in the area of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

84. Most research in environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline  is unnecessary. 1 2 3 4 5 6

85. I am confident in my knowledge of research methods in the area environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

86. I would not enjoy working on another environmental science research project. 1 2 3 4 5 6

87.  I would not enjoy working on any other research project, regardless of the discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

88. Research in environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline is important for identifying problems and solutions of value to society. 1 2 3 4 5 6

89. I find people who do research to be very interesting. 1 2 3 4 5 6

90. I am confident in my ability to apply various laboratory techniques to research in the area of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline. 1 2 3 4 5 6

91. I enjoy listening to discussions about research in environmental science. 1 2 3 4 5 6

92. I am confident in my ability to develop research questions in the area of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline which are interesting and researchable. 1 2 3 4 5 6

93. I would enjoy a research oriented job or a job which has some element of research in it. 1 2 3 4 5 6

94. Time passes quickly when I do research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

95. I am confident in my ability to translate research questions in the area of environmental science and in particular my sub-discipline into a research design. 1 2 3 4 5 6

96. I am easily frustrated when doing research. 1 2 3 4 5 6

97. I am confident in my ability to write-up research for publication in a scientific journal. 1 2 3 4 5 6

98.  Participation in RISE confirmed my decision not to pursue graduate school.  1 2 3 4 5 6

99.  I can credit my RISE experience with helping me shape my future career goals. 1 2 3 4 5 6

100.  I intend to complete a graduate degree in the environmental sciences. 1 2 3 4 5 6

YOU'RE FINALLY FINISHED!!!!!  Thank you!