ABSTRACT
In this introductory chapter, the editors provide background, context, and a roadmap to the topics addressed in the volume. Topics include a description of the national-scale, six-year project that provides the basis for the book—the Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) Transformations project; history and context for undergraduate research; current state of undergraduate research and its impacts on sustainable success for students (particularly with respect to students historically underrepresented), faculty, and institutions; and curricular scaffolding as a key approach to achieving equitable access and outcomes for all undergraduate students. The chapter also introduces Part II, the CUR Transformations Toolkit, and describes how these resources are connected to the scholarly chapters in Part I.
