ADVANTAGES OF LOCALLY BASED UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Getting undergraduates involved in research in your backyard can be highly productive and rewarding for both the students and faculty. At Franklin & Marshall I have involved numerous students in a variety of local projects dealing primarily with environmental issues. The projects have ranged from small site based studies to projects involving regional watersheds. These studies have resulted in numerous presentations and publications.

There are many advantages to locally based research projects. Easy, quick access to the field location can facilitate fieldwork by minimizing travel time and logistical issues. Sampling can be repeated over time, or modified based on initial results. Samples can be returned to the laboratory easily and quickly for processing. Sampling strategies can be modified if necessary. A locally-based project is particularly good for undergraduate students as they are just learning how to conduct field work and may need to repeat sampling or measurements. A wide range of field techniques and analytical methods can be used. Exposure to a range of research techniques is particularly valuable for undergraduates.

Local research also means that the student will have access to their campus library for literature searches. One of the important aspects of research that sometimes gets short-changed in undergraduate projects is exposure to the primary literature before the fieldwork is completed. A locally-based project means that sources such a local archives or historical records may be readily accessible. These types of resources are especially important for environmental projects.

One of the main advantages for the faculty member is that sequential projects over many years are relatively easy to coordinate. For environmental questions a long term data set may be vitally important. Another positive aspect is that if a gap in data becomes apparent, or a brief follow-up study is needed, additional fieldwork during the semester can be completed, rather than having to wait for another field season.

Some students feel that a local project is not very glamorous, and that there is a certain panache in working in an exotic locale. This can be countered by demonstrating how important scientific results can be garnered from a familiar location, and how such results may become incorporated into the local community.