ABSTRACT
Undergraduate research experiences are a path for students to gain access to research communities of practice. Learning in a research community of practice requires authentic participation, rich mentorships with faculty, and researcher identity formation. Unfortunately, research advisors do not often recognize their role as a mentor, and undergraduates often find themselves undertaking peripheral roles that require minimal supervision, time, and materials with little connection to the broader research practice. However, such a positioning does not foster a sense of belonging within the research community. In this chapter, we present an overview of a research group over the course of 5 years. This research group has fostered a sense of belonging in the educational research community, empowering undergraduates to participate as leaders in research efforts. Through focus group reflections with past and present undergraduate researchers, graduate student coordinators, and the lead faculty member, we explore the successes and failures of our research program in fostering a sense of belonging. From this discussion, other lab groups gain insight into practices that may foster a greater sense of belonging for their undergraduate researchers.
