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Undergraduate education in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in the United States is undergoing a systematic transformation as new studies report on the practices that have the highest impact on student learning.Undergraduate Research (UR) is one of those prominent practices.This article makes a case for the connectivity of UR to several of the other educational practices, and describes the essential features of UR and the benefits of a good UR experience in STEM to students.Current and projected changes in US demographics are described in relation to specific approaches in STEM education in the US in order to frame results of a preliminary study on the impact of UR at the University of Texas at E1 Paso.This article is also intended to provide those who are not familiar with US demographics and the issues of underrepresented minorities in the US with a clear view of why it is such an imperative to increase the representation of certain groups in STEM careers.