Undergraduate STEM Education Fellows – Make a difference, grow as a researcher, work remotely
About the Project and Positions:
We are looking to hire two undergraduate STEM education fellows to help with an NSF funded project which is focused on changing the perceptions of grade 7-12 math and science teaching as a profession. The project, known as Get the Facts Out, is an innovative partnership led by the Colorado School of Mines that includes the American Chemical Society, the American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, behavior change researchers, teacher educators, and several colleges and universities to serve as study sites. The project aims to tackle misperceptions about the teaching profession with the goal of increasing the fraction of physics, chemistry, and math majors that choose to pursue middle and high school teaching as a career.
By working as an undergraduate researcher on this project you can expect to:
- Have your work impact math and science teacher recruitment efforts nationwide
- Improve your communication skills
- Advance your data analysis and research skills
- Hone your scientific writing skills
- Work with a dynamic and supportive team
- Enjoy a flexible work schedule
Position 1: Communication and Recruitment
Job Responsibilities:
- Draft and send emails to contacts at approximately 60 universities to collect survey data two to three times per term
- Respond promptly to questions from the research team and university contacts related to data collection
- Download survey data and send updates to the contacts at each university after they have collected data
- Update contact lists at each university if they request changes
- Communicate with other members of the research team about the state of data collection
Minimum Qualifications for Position 1:
Candidates for position 1 must have at least 30 credit hours of college credit, a 3.7 GPA, proficient writing skills, professional email etiquette as you will be communicating with university leaders from around the country, an interest in educational research, a strong work ethic, and an excellent ability to communicate as part of a team.
Time Requirements and Compensation for Position 1:
The successful candidate will be expected to work 8-10 hours per week at a rate of $12 per hour. Virtual training via Zoom will be provided to get the new candidate up to speed on the project and job responsibilities. Job responsibilities can be completed remotely. Ideally, we would like the candidate to start as soon as possible and be able to work with the project for at least 4-6 months.
Position 2: Data Analysis
Job Responsibilities:
- Analyze survey data using Excel and basic statistics
- Generate data visualizations from raw survey data using Excel
- Create well-written, individualized scientific reports that will be sent to universities around the country
- Communicate clearly with other members of the research team
Minimum Qualifications for Position 2:
Candidates for position 2 must have at least 30 credit hours of college credit, a 3.7 GPA, a working knowledge of Excel, an understanding of basic statistics, proficient writing skills, a strong work ethic, an interest in educational research, and an excellent ability to communicate as part of a team.
Time Requirements and Compensation for Position 2:
The successful candidate will be expected to work 8-10 hours per week at a rate of $12 per hour. Virtual training via Zoom will be provided to get the new candidate up to speed on the project and job responsibilities. Job responsibilities can be completed remotely. Ideally, we would like the candidate to start as soon as possible and be able to work with the project for at least 4-6 months.
How to apply (Position 1):
To ensure full consideration, please send the following materials to Dr. Savannah Logan (sllogan@mines.edu) by September 8th, 2020. The position will be open until filled:
1. One to two page cover letter that addresses the qualifications described above, describes your interest in joining the project, and answers the following questions:
- What background experiences do you have that lead you to feel prepared for and interested in communicating professionally with university leaders from around the country?
- How do your previous experiences prepare you to work cooperatively and productively with colleagues, and supervisors from diverse backgrounds?
- How do you envision the skills you will gain in this position being useful to you later in your career?
2. Resume
If you have questions about the position, please contact Savannah Logan at sllogan@mines.edu.
How to apply (Position 2):
To ensure full consideration, please send the following materials to Dr. Jared Breakall (jbreakall@mines.edu) by September 8th, 2020. The position will be open until filled:
1. A one to two page cover letter that addresses the qualifications described above, describes your interest in joining the project, and answers the following questions:
- What background experiences do you have that lead you to feel prepared for and interested in statistical analysis of large-scale data and scientific writing?
- How do your previous experiences prepare you to work cooperatively and productively with colleagues and supervisors from diverse backgrounds?
- How do you envision the skills of data analysis and scientific writing will be useful to you later in your career?
2. Resume
If you are chosen to be interviewed, we will send you a brief data analysis task in Excel that will serve as a discussion point in the interview.
If you have questions about the position, please contact Jared Breakall at jbreakall@mines.edu.
