Using focused ethnography to inform biomedical research infrastructure enhancement at primarily undergraduate institutions

Abstract

This article describes results from an approach to program evaluation (i.e., focused ethnography) that has not been previously used to evaluate grant mechanisms. This “experience near” approach, which involved qualitative interviews and firsthand observations, lent valuable insights into how broader and institutional contexts at two primarily undergraduate institutions hindered or facilitated use of Arkansas INBRE resources. The insights gained can be used to enhance the Arkansas INBRE, which aims to strengthen the statewide biomedical infrastructure.