Virtual Summer Experience for Early Researchers (VSEER)

The Virtual Summer Experience for Early Researchers (VSEER) is a program of the IINSPIRE LSAMP Alliance. The 8-week long program expects participants to devote 10 hours per week for which they receive a stipend. The Core program consists of three components: The Introduction to Research Course, Virtual Lab Tours, and Community Building sessions. Each of these components meets synchronously for one hour per week. In addition, there were optional in-person or virtual research experiences offered to participants. These experiences carried the expectation of an additional 10 hours of engagement per week and provided additional stipends.

The goals of the program are to provide early research training for students in a virtual environment across institutions, provide exposure to a variety of research approaches across disciplines, and create an environment where research could be understood in the context of culture. VSEER also tries to build community among program participants and with key alliance "agents" and mentors, develop participant STEM identity in the context of student intersectionality, and deepen students understanding of the purpose of LSAMP. The program is aimed primarily at increasing the number of students from underrepresented minority groups that enter and thrive in STEM research fields.