Emerging researcher Taiyee Vue takes success a step further
December 13, 2017

Taiyee Vue and C3PO are both good at solving problems. Vue is a junior physics major at the U of M who worked with a research team to refine an online physics coaching program called C3PO (Customizable Computer Coaches for Physics Online).

Challenging program

The program is designed to help post-secondary students improve their problem-solving skills, which are fundamental to studying physics and many other STEM-related disciplines. Vue and her teammates worked through multiple phases of C3PO, learning from their mistakes (for example, the instructor interface in one version was too complicated) and were gratified to learn that C3PO became more highly rated than similar programs.

A new experience, thanks to 3M funding

Thanks to funding from 3M and the North Star STEM Alliance, Taiyee Vue took her success a step further. In spring 2017, Vue represented her team and the U of M at the Emerging Researchers National Conference in STEM, held in Washington, D.C. “I embraced that responsibility and put my all into my poster and presentation,” she says of this new experience.

What's next for Vue? As she finishes her junior year, she's considering graduate school.

“I really liked the amount of diversity at the conference. It made me more open to sharing my experiences, and I was able to connect with other professors and students around the nation. We talked shop about research and physics programs at various institutions. I’m very grateful for this research and conference experience, which will put me a step ahead for grad school.”

Photo courtesy of Taiyee Vue

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