“Mary Berger (MB): Hello, my name is Mary Berger from Texas Women’s University.
Shazia Ahmed (SA): Shazia Ahmed, from Texas Women’s University, Biology Department.

MB: And we’re here to present our poster, titled Not Quite a CURE. So, we know that freshmen are
typically provided step-by-step protocols to perform in the lab. However, since the students aren’t
involved in the development of the protocols or the design of the experiments, they tend to lack
personal ownership of the experiment. This results in a disconnect for the students between the
relatability of the in-class experiment and the scientific method.

SA: Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) is the gold standard for inquiry-based
experimentation. However, successful CURES generally require large budgets and dedicated personnel.
To overcome these limitations, we have designed a modified CURE that allows institutes like ours with
multiple lab sections and limited budget to participate in inquiry-based learning. Our design offers
students multiple opportunities during the semester to design and perform experiments as teams by
implementing the scientific method and to troubleshoot and act like scientists.
MB: So, this type of inquiry-based learning promotes educational ownership. It also facilitates team-
building and a positive collaborative environment for our student population. All of these are desirable
and highly sought-after soft skills by employers all over the world. If you’re interested in our poster,
please feel free to stop by.

SA: See you there!”