An Analysis on the Factors Affecting Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research Programs

Enhancing undergraduate programs with interdisciplinary collaboration is increasingly important to prepare students for the demands of the competitive multi-stakeholder market. In this study, the Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Experience (INCLUDE) program brings undergraduates from disciplines such as industrial and systems engineering, computer science, psychology, ethics, art, and marketing together and grants them the opportunity to network with practitioner mentors from large stakeholder organizations (e.g., NASA, Dynetics, AOA, the U.S. Army, and Navy) to solve a Grand Challenge. Although interdisciplinary teams are key to innovation, monodisciplinary programs tend to be divergent in nature and may not expose students to project teamwork. Problems arise when trying to foster effective outcomes for students who are unfamiliar with the skills necessary for self-managed teamwork. The purpose of this study is to share the results of exploratory qualitative research designed to better understand the challenges that senior undergraduates from two separate teams (Fall 2020 - Spring 2021 and Fall 2021 - Spring 2022) faced in the INCLUDE program at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH). This analysis focuses on the individual, institutional, and gender factors that shaped student perceptions between the two focus groups who were tasked with different Grand Challenges and access to the same campus resources. Data sets from observations and interviews are used in this study. This approach, combined with extensive literature research, provides valuable insight into their perceptions and attitudes about interdisciplinary teamwork and possible conflict resolutions. The results are expected to reveal the complexity of interdisciplinary collaboration for educational researchers.