Increasing Programming and Science Communication Skills in a Team-Based, Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Course-Based Research Experience (CURE)

UCLA undergraduates from Life Sciences, Physical Sciences and Engineering designed and performed novel experiments in student-led, team-based groups to gain authentic research experience in the physics of human brain and behavior. Students reported gains in research, collaboration, and computing skills, with responses consistent to outcomes of a successful Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE). Qualitative coding of student reflections indicates the high levels of collaboration across peers from different disciplines. We discuss aspects of how such student-centered research experiences are transferable to wider academic settings, such that undergraduate research experiences can be more accessible and meaningful to diverse students pursuing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) degrees. We describe the design, implementation, and assessment of our interdisciplinary Physics of Human Brain and Behavior research Undergraduate Program, with examples of how this program has branched out beyond UCLA, and is currently being piloted in the University of San Diego Physics and Biophysics Department.