2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Engaging undergraduates in research fosters curiosity, creativity, and independent thinking, yet several challenges limit its accessibility and effectiveness. A key issue is the gap between regular coursework and research work, where students may complete large-scale, team-based projects without mastering the skills needed for independent research. Limited resources further restrict meaningful research experiences for both students and faculty, reducing the potential for sustained inquiry and mentorship. To better understand how students develop research capabilities, this paper presents a case study following one student’s progression from a Senior Project to a completed research paper in Cybersecurity. The project involves designing a comprehensive open-source IRC botnet for penetration testing that simulates realistic attack scenarios. Students begin with limited knowledge, develop proposals, receive instructor feedback, form teams, and follow structured weekly plans. Regular meetings, experiment design, evaluation metrics, and mentorship enable students to achieve their research goals. Results show the project meets its objectives, and the completed paper is currently presented and published in a research track conference. More generally, the proposed approach reflects a scalable model for teaching undergraduate research methods. Structured proposal development, iterative feedback, team-based collaboration, and conference-level dissemination form a pedagogical sequence that can be adapted across disciplines. Such practices align with established models in undergraduate research training that emphasize mentorship, authentic problem solving, and exposure to the full research lifecycle. By documenting how students develop competencies within these structured environments, this work offers insights into how institutions can bridge the gap between coursework and independent research while accommodating resource limitations.