Developing and piloting a CURE-like intro experimental physics lab course

Despite significant changes to the way physics is taught at the undergraduate level, there remains a considerable gap between coursework and the research practices that professional physicists utilize. Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) attempt to bridge this gap by engaging students in authentic research experiences as part of the standard undergraduate curriculum, and have been shown to provide numerous benefits to students. Implementation of authentic CUREs in physics can be difficult on a grand scale, so we used an adaptation of the CURE model in an introductory experimental physics lab course. This resulted in a 'CURE-like' experience centered on particle physics through the use of muon detection technology. This CURE-like lab ran in parallel to a skills-based traditional equipment lab, with the goal of comparing student outcomes in future work. Both lab courses culminate in a final project where students are able to propose their own research question for investigation to simulate authenticity and further student understanding of experimental physics research. This talk will cover the process of development for the CURE-like course, student work from pilot semesters, and a discussion of challenges faced in the scale-up process.