In response to a growing need to provide equitable access to paid undergraduate research opportunities, UC San Diego’s Vice Chancellors for Student Affairs and Research and Innovation posed a critical question: 

How might we engage UC San Diego undergraduate students to become empowered and encouraged to participate in paid undergraduate research programs by increasing community awareness, student engagement and research readiness.

The executive vice chancellor formalized this challenge by charging the entire campus community to explore innovative solutions that would engage them. The SPUR program (Scaling Paid Undergraduate Research) was launched to address this complex, multi-stakeholder challenge. Leveraging the Innovation Funnel Model—a structured, iterative process of learning, working, developing, and presenting new ideas—SPUR brought divergent stakeholders together and delivered actionable, scalable solutions.

LEARN: Setting the Stage for Collaboration

Purpose: To align the campus community on what was known about the challenge and invite diverse perspectives to identify gaps in understanding.

The LEARN stage is the foundation of the SPUR initiative. It recognizes that a shared understanding of the problem must exist before effective solutions can be developed. Scaling paid undergraduate research opportunities at UC San Diego required engaging a diverse and decentralized community—students, faculty, administrators, and staff—with unique perspectives on the barriers and opportunities related to this challenge.

This stage was not only about disseminating information but also about creating an open dialogue. The LEARN stage laid the groundwork for a collective commitment to action by pooling institutional knowledge and encouraging stakeholders to share their insights. It helped surface critical questions:

• What do we already know about the challenges and opportunities for scaling paid research?
• What gaps exist in our knowledge, and who can help us fill them?
• How can we align our efforts to address these gaps collaboratively?

Central to this effort was the LEARN video, a dynamic multimedia presentation that introduced SPUR’s goals, its champions and the Innovation Funnel framework. More than a simple announcement, the video served as a formal notice to the community. With purposeful inference, it invited every stakeholder to take part in defining the problem and preparing for the workshops that would shape the solutions.

The LEARN stage was critical in fostering early buy-in and ensuring robust participation in the subsequent WORK stage. It demonstrated what was to come and that every voice mattered in building a more equitable system of paid research opportunities, inspiring stakeholders to join the journey.

“The model that we use for this program we refer to as an innovation funnel… it’s a structure for people to learn, work, develop, and present new ideas independent of the subject matter.” – Kevin Popovic, Education Manager, The Design Lab

Activities:

• Distributed the LEARN video across campus communication channels to create awareness, including social media, email, and website.
• Promoted event registration via EventBrite to track engagement.
• Hosted initial town hall and discussion groups with stakeholders from every relevant department and level of the university.
• Recorded the complete program to produce a highlights video and a summary of our learning via YouTube videos for asynchronous learning and engagement.

Outcomes:

• Generated widespread awareness, with hundreds of participants engaging in early conversations.
• Surfaced critical insights, such as parallel efforts, the logistical challenges faced by departments, and the financial barriers impacting students’ ability to participate in research.

WORK: Harnessing Campus-Wide Expertise

Purpose: To ideate concepts and prototype potential solutions collaboratively with all levels of the university.

The WORK stage is where the collective knowledge and enthusiasm from the LEARN phase transforms into actionable possibilities. With a shared understanding of the challenge established, this phase focused on harnessing the UC San Diego community’s creativity, expertise, and diverse perspectives. The goal was to turn insights into ideas—bold, innovative, and practical solutions that could make scaling paid research opportunities a reality.

Central to the WORK stage was Design Thinking, a collaborative, human-centered approach to problem-solving. This methodology ensured that the voices of all stakeholders—students, faculty, administrators, and staff—were heard and actively shaped the ideation process. By working in cross-functional teams, participants could approach the challenge from multiple angles, leveraging their unique expertise and lived experiences towards a singular solution.

This stage also emphasized inclusion and accessibility, ensuring robust student engagement by removing barriers to participation. Students, in particular, were incentivized to attend through thoughtful measures like gift cards and iPad raffles, recognizing their financial and time constraints that often limit participation and collaboration.

The WORK stage was critical for building momentum and trust. It demonstrated the university’s commitment to a collaborative process where ideas from part of the institution were valued and allowed to flourish. By fostering cross-departmental connections, this phase generated working relationships and innovative ideas that laid the foundation for continued collaboration in the DEVELOP stage.

“It has been a great privilege to prototype the SPUR initiative on this campus, something that hasn’t been done quite in this way before using a human-centered design lens alongside so many experts in different roles of the university.” – Michele Morris, Associate Director, The Design Lab 

Activities:

• Organized and delivered 17 open and departmental workshops where participants worked in cross-functional teams.
• Incentivized students with gift cards and iPad raffles to ensure critical engagement.
• Facilitated design thinking sessions to identify unique problems and generate innovative ideas for scaling research opportunities within.
• Celebrated the ongoing learning via email, social media, and websites.
• Documented, categorized, and evaluated the concepts generated by participants to identify key learning and insights.

Outcomes:

• Over 200 ideas were generated, ranging from new funding models to applications of artificial intelligence and changes in campus policies.
• Stakeholder feedback provided critical insights into ideas leading to the identification of those with the most significant potential for impact.
• Increased cross-departmental collaboration and a deeper understanding of shared challenges.

DEVELOP: Refining Ideas into Actionable Solutions

Purpose: To transform innovative concepts from the WORK phase into practical, impactful solutions.

The DEVELOP stage was where ideas took shape into actionable solutions, guided by the perspectives and expertise of dedicated teams. Building on the momentum and creativity of the WORK phase, this stage emphasized collaboration and feasibility, ensuring that each solution was grounded in the realities of implementation.

A key element of this stage was the formation of DEVELOP teams:

• Participants from the WORK phase’s concept teams were invited to join DEVELOP teams, bringing continuity to the process and ensuring that initial ideas were refined with context and clarity.
• Stakeholders with direct experience in the problem space were specifically recruited to join these teams. Their expertise added depth and accuracy to the refinement process.
• Crucially, every team included a stakeholder with the power to implement the proposed solution. This reduced the need to educate decision-makers later in the process and ensured that those with vested interests were motivated to see the solution through to completion.

Together, these multidisciplinary teams brought all necessary perspectives to the table—students, faculty, administrators, and decision-makers—allowing for well-rounded solutions that addressed the needs of all impacted parties. This collaborative approach streamlined the transition from concept to action, aligning stakeholders and removing potential barriers to implementation.

“I deeply appreciate the time and creativity invested by faculty and staff to ensure that students have access to opportunities to engage in meaningful paid research experiences, providing all students an equitable opportunity to engage in transformational research.”– Allysson Satterlund, Vice Chancellor, Student and Campus Life, UC San Diego

Activities:

• Build teams around each concept with vested interests and set them up for success.
• Project plan team design thinking work around schedules and availability to ensure the project applies its resources, meets its requirements and deliverables.
• Facilitated iterative review sessions to ensure that proposed solutions were actionable, impactful, and aligned with stakeholder goals.
• Developed prototypes to test for new programs and processes, such as research assistantship stipends, departmental grants, and technology-based solutions.

Outcomes:

• Actionable solutions included securing funding for paid positions, streamlining hiring processes for research assistants, and piloting technological innovations to simplify access to research opportunities.
• Teams produced refined concepts that accounted for logistical realities and institutional constraints, ensuring feasibility.
• Students had a direct influence on the design of new policies and programs, ensuring that their needs and experiences were prioritized.

The DEVELOP stage demonstrated the power of combining diverse perspectives and empowering decision-makers within the innovation process. By including stakeholders with the authority and motivation to implement changes, SPUR bridged the gap between ideation and execution, setting the stage for impactful and sustainable solutions.

PRESENT: Sharing Results and Inspiring Action

Purpose: To communicate actionable insights and empower key stakeholders to drive implementation.

The PRESENT stage culminated in the SPUR initiative, where refined solutions and key findings were shared with the campus community. This phase was designed to inform stakeholders and inspire them to take action, transforming ideas into tangible outcomes that could create lasting impact.

Presenting the results was about more than reporting—building momentum and accountability. By engaging campus leadership, departmental heads, and other decision-makers, the SPUR team ensured that the solutions developed during the initiative were positioned for implementation. This stage also provided an opportunity to celebrate the community’s collective efforts, highlighting the collaborative process that brought these solutions to life.

The presentations were designed to answer critical questions:

• What are the key takeaways from the SPUR process, and why do they matter?
• How can each stakeholder contribute to advancing these solutions?
• What are the next steps for turning recommendations into action?

By framing the solutions within the broader goals of equity and access, the SPUR team motivated departments and individuals to champion the initiative’s outcomes, embedding them into UC San Diego’s institutional fabric.

“Watching the creative solutions that all 11 teams came up with was inspiring. We will really be able to change our campus and transform paid undergraduate research.”– Cori Peek-Asa, Vice Chancellor, Research & Innovation, UC San Diego

Activities:

• Each team was presented in advance on a dedicated website page that shared their updated problem statement, a synopsis of their work, a video presentation by their team and artifacts that helped the community understand their journey.
• Hosted a culminating event to showcase refined solutions and next steps for implementation.
• Provided an online evaluation form for event participants, and for stakeholders throughout the community.
• Captured the SPUR PRESENT event on video to promote concepts, celebrate the accomplishment of team members, and communicate program next steps post-event to the community at large.
• Promoted the EVC and VCs call for feedback in a video across all channels of communications, including email, social media and
• Delivered a comprehensive report to decision-makers, providing a roadmap for implementation.

Outcomes:

• Several departments immediately adopted SPUR’s recommendations, applying what they have learned, leading to an increase in awareness and engagement with paid research positions.
• Leadership has the information they need to make data-driven decisions for next steps, investments and implementation.
• The program established a new campus standard for community ideation, student engagement and equitable access to collaboration.

Results and Impact: Transforming Ideas into Institutional Change

The SPUR initiative demonstrated the transformative power of collaborative innovation. By engaging stakeholders across every level of the university and leveraging the structured approach of the Innovation Funnel, SPUR delivered meaningful outcomes shaping the future of undergraduate research at UC San Diego. These results reflect not only the success of the program but also the broader potential of this approach to address complex institutional challenges.

“SPUR, or Scaling Paid Undergraduate Research, brought together students, faculty, and staff across campus to generate new ideas to increase the number and visibility of paid undergraduate research opportunities. Through a series of workshops, those interested in creating solutions collaborated in the spirit of collective impact to develop potential solutions that are now ready to be presented for feedback.”​ – Elizabeth H. Simmons, Executive Vice Chancellor, UC San Diego

Campus-Wide Engagement

SPUR created a truly inclusive process, bringing together students, faculty, staff, and administrators in a unified effort. By fostering a culture of collaboration:

• Stakeholders from over 11 departments actively contributed to identifying challenges and generating solutions.
• All types of students – from First Generation to LGTBQ to Latinx– were engaged as equal partners, ensuring that all voices shaped the design of new programs and policies.
• Cross-functional teams built more robust relationships between departments, creating a foundation for continued collaboration beyond the SPUR initiative.

This widespread participation created a shared sense of ownership and accountability, empowering the entire university community to take part in scaling paid research opportunities.

Innovative Solutions

The program produced a range of actionable ideas that are already being adopted and implemented across campus:

• Policy Changes: Departments began streamlining hiring processes for research assistants to make opportunities more accessible.
• Funding Innovations: New funding models, including departmental grants and collaborative funding pools, are being explored to expand paid positions.
• Technology Applications: Ideas for integrating artificial intelligence into research recruitment and administrative processes are being piloted.

These solutions demonstrate the university’s ability to think creatively and act decisively when equipped with the right tools and processes.

Sustainable Change

SPUR has sparked a cultural shift at UC San Diego, embedding equity, inclusion and access as priorities in undergraduate research:

• Many departments have adopted SPUR concepts to address their unique challenges, from equity in research participation to improving the student experience.
• The emphasis on paid opportunities has set a new standard for student engagement, ensuring that financial barriers no longer limit access to transformative learning experiences.
• The collaborative approach of SPUR is being recognized as a best practice, inspiring other universities and organizations to replicate its success.

What Comes Next

The success of SPUR highlights what the university and its departments can achieve by embracing the Innovation Funnel approach:

• Scalability: Departments can adapt the process to tackle their challenges, from creating new programs to improving existing ones.
• Institutionalization: The ideas generated can be embedded into university policies and practices, ensuring long-term impact.
• Continuous Innovation: By applying the Innovation Funnel to new challenges, the university can maintain its leadership in fostering equity, access, and innovation in higher education.

The Innovation Funnel model is more than a program—it’s a blueprint for transformative change. It proves that when people and processes can be brought together, complex problems can be solved with creativity, collaboration, and impact.