2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Title: WIP: A course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in a microelectronics laboratory course

Topic: Undergraduate research and the integration of research and education

This work-in-progress innovation-to-practice paper describes a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) in a microelectronics laboratory course. At a large public Southeastern university, electrical and computer engineering (ECE) students consistently report that the microelectronics lab course enhances their expertise in microelectronics and systems, as evidenced by both formal surveys and anecdotal feedback. However, students often need additional experiences to build confidence before their senior capstone design course(s). Motivated to introduce research experiences earlier in the ECE curriculum and to pilot an evidence-based practice that has steadily gained momentum in the sciences, we implemented a CURE in ECE. A wealth of literature supports the value of CUREs in promoting persistence in STEM fields and improving undergraduate academic performance. Nevertheless, few CUREs have been studied within ECE courses.

The CURE is a two-week module in an intermediate-level ECE lab course focused on audio engineering applications. It was piloted in fall 2024 with seven students, which enabled the teaching team to frame the CURE as discovery-driven within a controlled environment, and it is being taught presently with enrollment of 17 undergraduates ranging from second year to fifth year. Over two 3-hour lab sessions, students analyzed the internal circuit components of a two-terminal black box using fundamental electrical engineering concepts, including frequency response, transfer functions, and simulation. In the first session, the black box was simpler, with fewer electrical components, to help scaffold student learning. The complexity increased in the second session, and students received coaching on testing and simulation phases. To promote original discovery, each black box was built with different circuitry, and the instructor was blind to which box was assigned to each student.

We assessed the impact through a brief Qualtrics survey (n=7). Preliminary findings show that students valued the black-box exercise more than traditional labs. Notably, despite the open-ended nature of the activities, students felt well-supported and guided by the instructor. However, the results linking the black-box exercise with an undergraduate research experience were mixed. When reflecting on students’ perceptions of undergraduate research, they viewed it hierarchically—for example, with a lab led by graduate students and postdocs—and as a longer-term commitment. Although the black-box implementation, as a two-week student-led effort, did not align directly with their perceptions of undergraduate research, CUREs can provide an accessible entry point to undergraduate research. By integrating components of undergraduate research, a CURE may spark students' curiosity and lower the barrier to participation.

Next, the teaching team will design a simplified, scaled version of the CURE for a lower-level ECE electronics lab with approximately 100 students enrolled. Following the CURE approach, we aim to reach a larger student audience and develop a framework for further research during STEM undergraduate studies.