Announcing the Fall 2012 schedule of research presentations, presented by MESA Program students:

• Mixing and Flow Control in High Speed Combustors (Nov 5)
• Dynamics of Flame Spread in Microgravity (Nov 8)
• Sensorimotor Prosthetic Hand (Nov 13)
• Near Space Balloon Project (Nov 14)
• Aircraft Wing Structural Dynamics (Nov 15)

These presentations will:

• Address the topic of “What is Research?”
• Highlight current research at SDSU and UCSD
• Identify research opportunities at SDSU, UCSD and USD

See the “What is Research?” flyer for details.

Background
Twenty MESA students (10 from City College and Southwestern College, each) attended a 1-week Research Academy at San Diego State University (SDSU) in July 2012. The Academy was designed as a “trainer the trainer academy for understanding ‘what is research?'”  The Academy was designed and implemented by 3 SDSU graduate research students. The Academy schedule included:

• Monday: Training on the research process and how to give a research presentation, including information on research opportunities at SDSU, UCSD and USD
• Tuesday – Thursday: Students, assigned in teams of 4 (2 from City College and Southwestern College, each), conducted an “investigative shadow” of ongoing research projects at SDSU or UCSD
• Friday: Each research team presented a 1-hour presentation on their assigned research project. The students evaluated each other using a presentation rubric.

Beyond the Research Academy, each of the teams (in pairs) is responsible for presenting their research experience at City College and Southwestern College. In addition, each research presentation will be given to MESA pre-college programs in San Diego and Imperial County. A total of 20 presentations will be conducted in Fall 2012.

This project is led by the San Diego MESA Alliance (San Diego City College, Southwestern College & SDSU), with funding provided by the California Space Grant Consortium – a NASA sponsored program.

• 5 – Days
• 3 – Graduate student facilitators
• 20 – Community college MESA Program students (10 each from City College and Southwestern College)
• 5 – Research projects to be investigated (3 @ SDSU and 2 @ UCSD)
• 1 – Model research academy

Research Academy Training Materials

• Research Academy Overview and Schedule (PDF)
• Research Process (PowerPoint)
• The Craft of Research (Text)
• How to Give a Research Presentation (PowerPoint)
• Research Opportunities (PowerPoint)
• The Research Presentation (PDF)
• Research Opportunities Handout (Word)
• Research Projects Handout (Word)
• Training Handout (PDF)
• Profile of Research Programs (PDF)
• Investigative Shadow (PDF)
• Error Analysis (PDF)
• Tips for Charts and Graphs (PDF)
• Presentation Rubric (PDF)
• Pre Evaluation (PDF)
• Post Evaluation (PDF)
• “Did you ask a good question today?” (PDF)

The photo gallery can be viewed @ http://2012researchacademy.shutterfly.com/