2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Gauging the Health of the Computing Research Ecosystem: A National Study of Undergraduate Research Applicant Trends, Interest, and Research Capital

Presented at CIT Technical Session 10: Workforce and Research Ecosystem.

Attracting undergraduate students to computing research is crucial for enhancing innovation and research productivity, yet funding support for traditional undergraduate research models is highly competitive and under scrutiny. This study focuses on one national computing research program as a lens to gauge the health of the computing research ecosystem. Application trends to the National Science Foundation Computing and Information Sciences and Engineering Research Experiences for Undergraduates (CISE REU) program were examined to understand the computing research pipeline and its potential for expanding research capacity in the U.S. This study focuses on the demographic backgrounds, earliest interest in computing, and research network capital of program applicants and trends over time.

Data from 16,733 undergraduate applicants to this competitive national undergraduate research program (2010-2021) were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Applicant demographics were examined using frequencies and Chi-square analysis, with z-tests and Bonferroni correction to assess significant differences between groups. The applicant demographic pool showed little change over time, indicating that the computing research pipeline is not expanding rapidly enough to be competitive globally. However, indicators of pathway access (early interest) and persistence (research network capital) revealed promising trends. Findings indicate that student interest is shifting toward later onset in high school, versus earlier on in middle school. Also, peers and university contacts were strong sources of research network capital, with significant differences observed by gender and race/ethnicity. These findings provide insights for faculty, academic departments, and funders who want to cultivate robust educational and career pathways to computing research in the U.S. Implications for expanding pathways into computing undergraduate research programs are discussed.

Authors

Dr. Audrey Rorrer http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0600-6545 University of North Carolina at Charlotte [biography]

Audrey Rorrer, PhD, is a Research Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department at UNC Charlotte, where she also serves as Director of the Center for Education Innovation Research. Dr. Rorrer’s research focuses on computing education pipeline development, educational programming, and faculty communities of practice. Her work spans college programs, K-12 CS education outreach, and building faculty capacity for innovative teaching. A central theme is collective impact activities that expand the national pipeline into computing careers. She holds a BS in Psychology from Guilford College, an MA in Student Development from Appalachian State University, and a PhD in Counselor Education from UNC Charlotte.
Dr. Kari L. George Computing Research Association [biography]

Kari George, PhD, is the Senior Research Associate for CRA’s Center for Evaluating the Research Pipeline (CERP). She leads several high-profile initiatives, including the NSF CISE REU Evaluation project, the national Data Buddies Survey, and CERP Pulse Surveys, while overseeing the dissemination of research insights to the computing community. Prior to joining CRA in 2025, Dr. George was a Computing Innovation (CI) Fellow at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Her research examines computing students' educational and career pathways and organizational change within computer science departments. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in Higher Education and Organizational Change from UCLA, an M.Ed. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from Salem State University, and a B.A. in Mathematics and Sociology from SUNY Geneseo. She has previously held leadership and consulting roles across academia and the tech industry.
Madison Melton University of North Carolina at Charlotte [biography]

Madison Melton is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Her research focuses on generative AI, computer science education, and AI education in K12. In Fall 2024, she completed her qualifying exam, which examined how predictive AI and generative AI are shaping modern education. She successfully defended her dissertation proposal in April 2026 and expects to complete her dissertation in April 2027.

Her dissertation investigates a multi-level intervention framework that engages undergraduate students, K12 teachers, and K12 students in the design, evaluation, and implementation of generative AI–supported instructional materials. Centered on an undergraduate course, her work examines how students develop AI literacy through artifact creation, how teachers evaluate the quality and classroom readiness of AI-generated materials, and how these materials function in authentic K12 classroom settings.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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