Dr. Rachael Eaton, the College of Arts and Sciences program director for research engagement at Oklahoma State University, has been elected as a division representative for the Undergraduate Research Programs division in the Council on Undergraduate Research.

CUR is a nationwide organization that serves as a leading community of higher education professionals dedicated to advancing excellence in undergraduate research.

“This is extremely motivating and validating for me,” Eaton said. “I’ve been involved with student research going on 10 years, and I felt like this was an opportunity to step up and find ways to further contribute to undergraduate research, not just at OSU but in the broader sense, as well.”

Unlike other divisions of CUR that focus on area-specific research, such as biology, the Undergraduate Research Programs division focuses on how member institutions carry out undergraduate research offerings and how those areas can be improved, supported and expanded.

“This division looks at undergraduate research as a whole,” Eaton said. “How do institutions find funding for undergraduate research? How do institutions assess their undergraduate research programming? How do programs connect undergraduate research to things like national-level scholarships and fellowships? Those are all questions that this division helps to answer.”

Eaton will serve a three year term in the role alongside leaders in undergraduate research at a variety of higher education institutions around the country.

Involvement in organizations like CUR not only allows participants like Eaton to develop new methods for undergraduate research programming but also provides a network of peers to share best practices and challenges among fellow higher education professionals.

For a lifelong research advocate, Eaton finds the proliferation of undergraduate research opportunities at OSU to be both a way to get students involved in meaningful work that can have wide-ranging impacts, as well as a quickly rising recruitment tool.

“Making it known that future students can have those kinds of experiences at OSU and putting concrete opportunities in front of them are very enticing,” Eaton said. “Being involved in research from the start can strengthen a student’s sense of community and belonging, solidify their chosen path of study, and boost pride in their institution, which bolster positive outcomes and future alumni engagement.”

“Undergraduate research helps advance the creative, innovative and educational mission of an institution. Research has societal benefits and these opportunities prepare students for their future careers by elevating and advancing both their academic and practical training.”