This symposium highlights programs that move beyond assigning novice researchers a project and instead work to make scientific practice genuinely legible. Presenters will share work from REUs, CUREs, VIPs, Project SEED, teacher–researcher partnerships, and other programs that involve high school and college students in authentic research in a range of disciplinary contexts. Across these varied settings, contributors examine how novices come to understand what researchers do, why the work matters in local and disciplinary contexts, and how mentoring supports that understanding. The session brings forward stories, program models, and perspectives that illuminate the social and technical dynamics of entering a research community, offering a rich view of how different institutions cultivate meaningful early research experiences.
