Undergraduate research experiences can provide some of the first exposure that undergraduate students have to open-ended scientific research. In this study, we developed an authentic undergraduate research experience for marine science students at The University of Queensland (UQ). The students were third to fifth year undergraduate students from The University of California undertaking a semester abroad at UQ. Students conducted a 10d research field trip at Moreton Bay Research Station. We evaluated the learning outcomes from this program from 2013 to 2019 and found that students developed skills in experimental design and data analysis, scientific writing, and project management. Additionally, students reported that the experience helped to clarify their career objectives and allowed them to better understand the nature of scientific research. Interestingly, we also found that the incoming cohort changed substantially over time with the more recent years having a greater proportion of students with research experience. Therefore, the magnitude of difference that this program makes to later cohorts may be decreased. This change in the demographics of the students provides an important lesson for educators. We need to know our students and make sure that our teaching plans still meet the learning needs of our students.