Reflections on the Formation and Growth of the SURE Network: a National Disciplinary Network to Enhance Undergraduate Research in the Sciences

Authors

Ciaran O'Leary, Technological University DublinFollow
Julie Dunne, Technological University DublinFollow
Barry J. Ryan, Technological University DublinFollow
Therese Montgomery, Athlone Institute of TechnologyFollow
Anne Marie O'Brien, Athlone Institute of TechnologyFollow
Cormac Quigley, Athlone Institute of TechnologyFollow
Claire Lennon, Waterford Institute of TechnologyFollow
Fiona McArdle, Sligo Institute of TechnologyFollow
Laura Keaver, Institute of Technology SligoFollow
Eva Campion, Institute of Technology SligoFollow
Gordon Cooke, Technological University DublinFollow
Emma M. Caraher, Technological University DublinFollow
Mary Deasy, Technological University DublinFollow
Aubrey Storey, Waterford Institute of TechnologyFollow
Carloalberto Petti, Institute of Technology, CarlowFollow
Eileen O'Leary, Limerick Institute of TechnologyFollow
Karen Finn, Galway-Mayo Institute of TechnologyFollow
Sinead Loughran, Dundalk Institute of TechnologyFollow
Greg Byrne, Technological University DublinFollow
Arjan Van Rossum, Dundalk Institute of TechnologyFollow
Dina Brazil, Institute of Technology CarlowFollow
Matt Smith, Technological University DublinFollow
Nicholas Touzet, Institute of Technology SligoFollow
Tracey Coady, Waterford Institute of TechnologyFollow
Valerie McCarthy, Dundalk Institute of TechnologyFollow
Janette Walton, Cork Institute of TechnologyFollow
Josephine Tracey, Limerick Institute of TechnologyFollow

Abstract

The Science Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE) Network is an academic network comprised of nine Higher Education Institutions (HEI) in Ireland that seeks to enhance the profile of, and practices in, undergraduate research in the Sciences within the Technological Higher Education Sector. This paper presents the reflections of the network's leaders on the formation and growth of the network over the period from 2015, just prior to its establishment, to 2020 when the network hosted its seventh undergraduate research conference, published its second undergraduate journal issue, and initiated a coordinated community of practice in response to the Covid-19 crisis. The paper presents the motivations of the leaders for establishing and joining the SURE network, their interpretation of how involvement in the network enhances practice in their own HEI, their reflections on how their own personal development was enhanced, their interpretation of the factors that have contributed to the success of the network, and the direction in which they see the network going in the future. The collective reflections of the leaders of the SURE Network, as presented in this paper, provide importance guidance for those seeking to establish similar academic networks, both in the area of undergraduate research and elsewhere.

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Recommended Citation

O'Leary, Ciaran; Dunne, Julie; Ryan, Barry J.; Montgomery, Therese; O'Brien, Anne Marie; Quigley, Cormac; Lennon, Claire; McArdle, Fiona; Keaver, Laura; Campion, Eva; Cooke, Gordon; Caraher, Emma M.; Deasy, Mary; Storey, Aubrey; Petti, Carloalberto; O'Leary, Eileen; Finn, Karen; Loughran, Sinead; Byrne, Greg; Van Rossum, Arjan; Brazil, Dina; Smith, Matt; Touzet, Nicholas; Coady, Tracey; McCarthy, Valerie; Walton, Janette; and Tracey, Josephine (2021) "Reflections on the Formation and Growth of the SURE Network: a National Disciplinary Network to Enhance Undergraduate Research in the Sciences," Irish Journal of Academic Practice: Vol. 9: Iss. 1, Article 7.
doi:https://doi.org/10.21427/z3xx-dy28
Available at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/ijap/vol9/iss1/7

DOI

https://doi.org/10.21427/z3xx-dy28