Faculty often are in awe that so many different students from so many different backgrounds can be led to do substantial work. For faculty, the reminder is that most students can work hard and become engaged, and are capable of a remarkable amount of learning. Looking beyond the enthusiastic reports, what undergraduate research aims to do is highly consonant with the challenges our students will face in the coming years. The interconnected complexities of the modern world call for people who have learned to be resourceful, responsible, and independent, yet who are capable of working with and learning from others. In such a world, knowledge seems less certain and people need to anticipate facing novel challenges.
Research teaches that there is no easy answer.
Sifting through mountains of data is the new reality of the information explosion. The ability to communicate in a thoughtful and disciplined way, even to audiences not well versed in the particulars of an issue or problem, is very much a part of what we face in dealing with our current kaleidoscope of cultures. The trend toward undergraduate research carries implications. It is, for one, demanding of faculty time. More positively, the trend renders the distinction between faculty research and teaching as less significant, just as it breaks down barriers between the faculty member and undergraduates.