2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Objectives: This Work in Progress Empirical Research paper will examine the associations between students’ perceptions of their professional skills, sense of belonging, quality of mentorship, satisfaction, and self-efficacy, and the quality of their final presentations. Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) are vital for cultivating the next generation of engineers and scientists by providing hands-on research opportunities that build technical skills, foster mentorship relationships, and provide pathways into advanced study and STEM careers. Our REU program provided undergraduate students (n = 8) with an intensive, full-time summer research experience that emphasized both technical skill development and professional growth in an engineering research center (ERC). The REU program concluded with a formal Research Presentation, where each student presented the results of their summer research project. Methodology: Through our recruitment efforts, a significant fraction of the student participants in our REU program came from outside the host institution or organization, with approximately 38% of the 2025 REU cohort enrolled at institutions outside the ERC. The 2025 cohort of REU students was 63% female, with 50% identifying as white, 50% identifying as Hispanic or Latino/a/x, and 25% were first-generation college students. At the conclusion of the program, REU participants completed a survey on their perceptions of the program. This survey was based on the Multi-ERC Instrument Inventory (MERCII). An additional section on REU self-efficacy included 18 items assessing how participation in the REU increased their confidence in research skills, rated on a 5-point Likert scale (ranging from strongly disagree to agree strongly). Students’ final presentations were assessed using the Multi-ERC Instrument Inventory Presentation Rubric. Students were evaluated on their research and verbal elements, including the research problem, findings, and conclusions; their verbal presentation, focusing on clarity and conciseness; and their ability to answer questions. Students were also evaluated on the visual and written elements of the research poster, including font size readability, use of space, concise content, and compelling visuals. We examined bivariate correlations between the constructs of interest and the students’ final presentation score. Expected Outcomes: Findings suggest that students’ perceptions of their experience are meaningfully interrelated and have implications for future program design and evaluation.