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A Compendium of Undergraduate Research Programs
Examples of undergraduate research programs that embody the central
principles of URCs already exist. Workshop participants were asked to
provide short vignettes describing innovative undergraduate research
programs. Those programs that exemplified the guiding principles of multi-institutional,
unique partnering with industry or government laboratories, outreach
to K-12 teachers and/or students, targeting freshmen or sophomore students,
or using unique modes of mentoring undergraduate research were chosen
for inclusion here. Although there are undoubtedly many more research
programs across the nation built on the core principles of URCs of which
we are unaware, it is hoped that collectively, this sampling of programs
will provide a useful compendium of creative ways to effectively engage
undergraduate students in research at institutions representing the spectrum
of those involved in undergraduate education. These vignettes are arranged
in alphabetical order by lead institution.
_________________________________________________________________________
In the summer of 1996, two members of the Berea
College Mathematics
and Computer Science Department began an undergraduate research program
that applies mathematical and computer modeling to various issues of
local concern. Over the years, these summer research experiences have
involved fourteen students with majors in mathematics, physics, and chemistry,
three faculty members, two non-profit agencies, and several departments
on campus. The problems addressed have covered a broad range of categories
including risk assessment of the incineration of toxic materials, modeling
sustainable forestry, estimating floodplain growth due to community development,
and predicting the spread of the flu due to delays in vaccination. The
students involved have frequently gone on to graduate school in fields
related to their research and have won awards for presentations of the
research. Undergraduate research in mathematics tends to be complicated by the
desire to have students involved in more than surface roles regarding
real problems to which faculty themselves do not know the answers. Due
to the nature of theoretical mathematical research, unsolved problems
tend to be well beyond the knowledge base of even graduating seniors,
and in addition, the use of such research often is beyond the understanding
of the students. In response to this reality, the Berea College Mathematics
and Computer Science Department has attempted to design a program where
the more applied research is always designed to require significant student
input in a problem whose relevance is obvious to all. This program allows
the students to use the mathematics and computer science they already
know, teach themselves some of the basics of the field of application
(e.g. physical hydrogeology), and then discover the excitement and frustration
of real research on a problem they can clearly understand. As one example, in the summer of 1996, the research problem was to calculate
the dispersion of dioxins that would result if a stockpile of nerve gas
were to be incinerated (as was planned at the time) at an army depot
that is located less than 15 miles from Berea College. The work was generated
by the request of a local non-profit agency, the Kentucky
Environmental Foundation (KEF), and clearly had the advantage of being important to
the students involved. Moreover, the topic required them to master a
computer model simulating dispersion, the chemistry of dioxins, the relevant
biological food chain, and the mathematics that would help address all
these problems. The students stayed in close contact with the members
of KEF, opened dialogs with the EPA, and sought the advice of the designers
of the computer modeling program. The results turned out to be revealing
mathematically and surprising in terms of the actual impact.
_________________________________________________________________________ Bridgewater
State College provides support for undergraduate/faculty
research opportunities through the Adrian Tinsley Program for Undergraduate
Research (“Tinsley Program”), http://www.bridgew.edu/ATP/. These opportunities
include summer stipends, semester grants, travel grants, and a campus-wide
undergraduate research symposium. Students in the natural sciences have
been supported through the Tinsley Program, and a variety of external
grants through their mentors. Since 1999, science students have actively
participated in a Chemistry OutReach Program involving chemical demonstrations
conducted at regional elementary and middle schools. The goal of this
program is to excite the school children about chemistry, provide a resource
of classroom demonstrations for the classroom teacher, and provide a
service-learning opportunity for all BSC science students. In 2002, the
OutReach Program was expanded by having groups of research students present
their work at regional high schools. The goals are to encourage high
school science students to seek out and participate in research activities
at the college level, and to provide BSC research students with an unusual
forum for presenting their research at a level where justification of
their research projects (to “constituents”) is as important as how their
data justifies their conclusions. BSC student presenters must prepare
lecture material with visual aids, a collaborative group work activity
based on the lecture, and a “fun” activity in the form of a game. For
example, in 2002 a group of BSC students discussed their Green Chemistry
research projects and following the group work activity acted as the
hosts of a Green Chemistry “Jeopardy” game. The BSC presenters are also
required to prepare evaluation forms for the students and classroom teacher
to complete. The research component of the BSC OutReach program has only been in
existence for one year; thus, assessment is difficult at this time. It
is notable that all juniors who participated in spring 2002 have volunteered
to participate again in 2003. We hope to expand this program to regional
community colleges in 2003-04. We see this program as an opportunity
to bring in high school juniors and seniors, and community college students
and faculty to participate in research projects with BSC students and
faculty.
_________________________________________________________________________ Cameron
University, a primarily undergraduate regional institution in
Lawton, Oklahoma, has developed several collaborative programs with comprehensive
institutions and companies in an effort to provide students with exceptional
research opportunities that will enhance their undergraduate education. As
one example, Dr. Ann Nalley, a professor of Physical Sciences at Cameron
University, has worked for the past 20 years with local
industries
to provide enrichment programs for her students by forming industrial
partnerships to support internships. These collaborations have
been formalized through a grant from the Oklahoma Center for
the Advancement of Science
and Technology (OCAST) that provides funding on a matching basis
to support industrial R&D internships for both students and faculty in Oklahoma.
The purpose of this OCAST R&D Faculty and Student Intern Partnership
(FSIP) program is to improve Oklahoma's R&D base by supporting student
and faculty internships in Oklahoma R&D facilities and to encourage
greater numbers of students to prepare for careers at scientific and
technical firms. Students are employed as interns in industry to perform
R&D research in chemistry either in the summer or during the
regular academic semester. Recent activities in this project include
partnerships
with Cosmetic Specialties Laboratory, Inc., a Lawton based Cosmetic
Manufacturing laboratory. Dr. Nalley and her students have been
involved in developing
analytical methods for analyzing cosmetics, which assist in maintaining
quality control and in new product development. In addition, a
partnership with Halliburton Energy Services Duncan Technology
Center located
in Duncan, Oklahoma has resulted in numerous projects including:
software
engineering, where student and faculty interns have worked with
software companies to develop software packages; assisting in problem
solving
strategies related to oil field production; the analytical measuring
of Log POW values; and the modification of natural polymers used
in oil production to make them environmentally friendly. More than
20
students
have had an opportunity to participate in the program. Contact:
Dr. Ann Nalley, Department of Chemistry, Cameron University.
_________________________________________________________________________ COSEN:
CAROLINAS AND OHIO SCIENCE EDUCATION NETWORK: Mentoring, Peer-Support,
and Research Experiences for Women and African-American Undergraduate
Science and Mathematics Students. To encourage students to major in mathematics
and the sciences and to consider research and teaching careers, a comprehensive
program was initiated in 1989 and completed in 1999 by eight higher education
institutions. Davidson College, Denison University, Duke
University, Furman University, Kenyon College, Oberlin College,
Ohio Wesleyan University,
and The College of Wooster formed COSEN with funding from the Pew
Charitable Trusts. The consortium was committed to supporting individuals underrepresented
in science and mathematics, particularly women and African Americans. COSEN was envisioned as an experimental program. The underlying rationale
for COSEN was that intervention, in the form of enriching experiences
within a supportive environment, must be provided at a variety of levels
throughout the formative college years. COSEN programs gave students
a critical mass of affiliates, contact with professionals who were mentors
and role models, and hands-on research experiences. The COSEN program annually sponsored mentoring and peer-group activities
for students on each campus, led by women and African-American faculty;
a one-week, hands-on research experience conference for 64 first-year
students; three-week field research workshops in geology, marine biology,
and tropical biology for 40 students; ten-week research collaborations,
matching 25 students with faculty from different institutions, which
concluded with a two-day research conference. Each year, these activities
provided nearly 300 students with enriching science experiences within
a supportive environment. Through COSEN, the academic community was strengthened. Faculty and
administrators became aware of the issues facing those underrepresented
in science. Cooperation between students and faculty on each campus and
among campuses increased. Campus student groups became independent organizations,
promoting leadership and academic excellence. COSEN conferences and research
experiences gave students an understanding of the scientific process
and the confidence to pursue scientific careers. An evaluation survey
indicated that a majority of participants were considering attending
graduate or professional school in science. By providing programs throughout
the college years, COSEN offered a comprehensive approach, enhancing
students’ education, experience, and expertise. A key element of COSEN success was the participation of faculty and
administrators with vision and ability. It was also important to have
a stable organizational structure and generous funding. The interrelationship
between consortial and campus programs strengthened both, with COSEN
events often motivating students to become campus leaders. Yearly participant
(faculty and student) surveys provided valuable information for monitoring
progress in meeting goals. The local mentoring/study groups, the first
year student conference, and the field and laboratory research opportunities
offered students positive experiences and a network of support. The combination
of these factors resulted in a cohesive and effective program. Contact:
Susan Palmer, Executive Director, The Five Colleges of Ohio, Kenyon College.
_________________________________________________________________________ The
Chemistry REU Consortium: Juniata College, Macalester College,
Northern Kentucky University, Saint Michael’s College, Trinity
College (CT), and
Trinity University (TX) constitute the first Chemistry REU Consortium.
Instead of a collection of 10-12 undergraduates attracted to the same
location, we attract them to similar projects at dispersed locations.
The unifying feature is that all the students are working on related
projects involving the synthesis of Theoretically Interesting Molecules.
The entire group meets together two to three times during the summer,
having an expanded group meeting where faculty and students hear about
what everyone else is doing and engage in intellectual discussion of
the design and execution of the research. The hope (which was realized)
is that these sessions will lead to significant cross-fertilization of
ideas among the groups. Further, one major researcher in this field joins
these meetings each summer, describing his or her own research and commenting
on the research of the consortium. One of these group meetings coincides
with one of the major national organic chemistry meetings, so students
hear many of the major researchers across the discipline describe their
chemistry and the ensuing discussions. Students present 15-minute seminars
on their projects at the end of the summer and also create posters of
their research for the Consortium Web Site. Contact: David Reingold,
Department of Chemistry, Juniata College. Further information:
http://www.trincoll.edu/depts/chem/toms/REUsite/frames/frameindex.html
_________________________________________________________________________ In 1948, The
College of Wooster initiated a radical overhaul in its
curriculum that was based on combining the acquisition of knowledge with
the understanding of method. This change was based on the belief that
a student’s drive to learn is best developed by undertaking a major independent
research project that leads to self-discovery through three semesters
of college work. Today, 50 years of the Independent Study program has
created a culture shared by all at Wooster. Independent Study is not
an honors program; the Wooster faculty believes that all students should
be challenged to achieve their best efforts of independent and creative
thought. The effectiveness of the Independent Study program at Wooster
stems from the collaboration of students and faculty, learning by doing,
and the challenge that it provides for all students. Although the emphasis of the Independent Study program is on the last
two years of a student’s education, the foundation for critical thinking
is laid much earlier in the College curriculum. The Wooster curriculum
is designed to introduce students to the challenges they will meet as
juniors and seniors, through required freshman seminars, writing-intensive
courses and inquiry-based teaching across the curriculum. Although no
formal link to Independent Study is established, the College designed
the Sophomore Research Program in 1987 to provide a transition for students
between First-Year Seminar and Junior Independent Study. The Sophomore
Research Program provides opportunities for students to work as paid
research apprentices to Wooster faculty members. Through this program,
students become true partners with faculty in the research process and
acquire an understanding of the process involved in conducting research. Formal Independent Study begins in the junior year, with one course
of that year devoted to independent investigation. During the senior
year, one course each semester is tagged for independent study credit,
representing 25% of the coursework during the senior year. For many science
students, the senior project is initiated during the summer between the
junior and senior years by working in a lab or out in the field with
a Wooster faculty member or taking an internship at another institution
or laboratory. Students identify their topics, design an approach to
answering their questions and test their hypotheses, collect the necessary
data, learn how to separate evidence from conjecture, and present their
work in a thesis during the spring semester. Many departments encourage
oral presentation of the student’s work. Upon submission of the student’s
thesis, two faculty readers evaluate the finished project and administer
an oral examination, allowing the student a chance to discuss his or
her work at a higher level with at least two individuals who have some
knowledge of the project. Contact: http://www.wooster.edu/programs/
_________________________________________________________________________ K-16 Science at Edgewood
College. A unique opportunity to teach and
learn science exists at Edgewood through the Sonderegger Science Center,
the center of science instruction for the three institutions comprising
Edgewood Inc., which encompasses students from kindergarten through graduate
school. Every effort is made to have students and faculty from different
grade levels work together whenever appropriate. One example of this
is with the Introduction to Natural Sciences course (Nat Sci). Nat Sci
was developed to meet the needs of pre-service teachers. The subject
matter is broad in scope and the lessons delivered in a way that models
current best practices in K-12 science instruction. In addition, all
elementary education majors must take their elementary science methods
concurrent with Nat Sci. The methods course is team taught by science
educators who are faculty in the Natural Sciences Department. Instructors
of the two classes meet regularly to integrate the student’s experiences
to the highest degree possible. One of the major activities in the Nat Sci course is a scientific research
project where students, working in small teams, participate in ongoing
scientific inquiry around major themes dealing with the natural environment
surrounding Edgewood College. (Edgewood is located on a large parcel
of land containing woods, prairie, and grassland, and is adjacent to
a lake, the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, and several city parks.).
At various times during these projects, college students are teamed with
“little buddies” from Edgewood Campus School (K-8). The “little buddies”
study similar topics in their science classes with the assistance of
University of Wisconsin graduate students as part of a KTI (kindergarten
through infinity) program.
_________________________________________________________________________ As an addition to a forty year plus history of successful undergraduate
research at Harvey Mudd College involving required senior research theses
and an intensive summer research program, a Sophomore Spring Semester
Introduction to Research course was initiated seven years ago in which
sophomores are offered the opportunity to work with chemistry faculty
to learn methods of research by doing research. Through an application
process, interested students are matched with faculty in whose research
they have expressed interest. All nine faculty in the department typically
take a student enrolled in this course. The students are paid a stipend
typically based on an afternoon per week of effort but do not earn credit.
Stipend funds are provided by the department from a Henry Dreyfus research
grant. Accepted students appreciate the opportunity to begin meaningful
science. While primarily targeting sophomores, freshmen have been placed
in the program. Students are introduced to the chemical literature, the
techniques necessary to pursue the project, and general methods of conducting
research.
_________________________________________________________________________
Hope College first involved undergraduate chemistry students in research
in the 1940’s and now annually involves over 50 chemistry and biochemistry
students in undergraduate research. The goals behind Hope College’s research
program are to create new scientific knowledge and to train students
to become scientists. Over the last decade, Hope College has been expanding
the participants in undergraduate research projects beyond the traditional
population of junior and senior science majors.
• Hope College emphasizes early entry to research by encouraging first
and second year students to become involved in research. This results
in more students being involved at any given time, raises student expectations
that they should become involved in research as part of their education,
and allows for more substantive work due to spending longer time on a
project.
• The Chemistry Department actively contacts other schools that do not
have substantive research programs in order to offer summer research
opportunities to their students. Whenever possible, offers are made to
under-represented minorities in order to increase the diversity of the
research student cadre.
• Under-represented minority students from local high schools have been
invited to participate in a 6-week summer research program, which also
includes enrichment activities and science career awareness programs.
Some of these students have matriculated at Hope College, majored in
a natural science, and continued on to graduate school.
• The Chemistry Department runs non-residential summer science camps
for K-6 students. The Chemistry Camp “counselors” are undergraduate students
who are typically considering careers as K-12 science teachers. While
their experience is not a traditional research experience, these students
achieve many of the learning gains associated with undergraduate research,
e.g., independent decision making in a laboratory setting, as well as
become enthusiastic science teachers. Hope College’s strong undergraduate research program stems in large
part from the faculty’s focus on the success of the student research
experience in developing scientific skills and producing new scientific
results. Research students at Hope College know that the faculty take
a personal interest in their learning, are eager to help them develop
to their full potential, and are dedicated to their future success. Contact:
Will Polik, Department of Chemistry, Hope College.
_________________________________________________________________________ Although there are several PhD. programs at Idaho
State University,
the Chemistry Department is consistent with any at predominantly undergraduate
institutions except for the existence of a BS/MS program. Recently, this
program has been combined with an NSF REU program to provide regional
students, particularly two-year college students, with the opportunity
to participate in research and continue their studies to receive a graduate
degree. The BS/MS program is a three-year program to which students are admitted
after their second year in college, provided they have completed the
core requirements. This program provides an excellent opportunity to
recruit 2-year college students within the region who have not been traditional
graduate school prospects. Students admitted into the program are awarded
a stipend and tuition waivers. They are required to perform research
on a part-time basis during the academic year and full time during 10-week
sessions during their first and second summers of the program. Their
academic program requires them to take graduate courses as early as their
junior year. Due to limited funding, only three students are funded per
year for a total of nine students. This matches the number of departmental
faculty active in research and allows greater mentor-to-student contact. A recently awarded (2000) NSF REU grant has as its mission to provide
undergraduate research opportunities to regional 2-year college students,
opportunities which are non-existent at their campuses. While REU participants
are encouraged to continue their education and research efforts at an
institution of their choice, some students have proceeded to matriculate
in the BS/MS program at ISU. Research opportunities for participants
span the traditional fields within chemistry and also involve atmospheric,
environmental, and labeled biological substrate chemistry.
_________________________________________________________________________ Science In Motion: A Basic Education/Higher Education Science and Technology
Partnership. “Science in Motion” was created at Juniata
College to meet
the needs of local high school chemistry teachers in teaching “hands-on
science.” The program was launched following a year of discussion between
basic education and higher education faculty about how to update science
curricula to include the use of modern instrumentation and technology.
The basic education/higher education partnership program was formed based
on the following six guiding principles. 1) More can be accomplished
in science at the high school level, but those in the best position to
know what is needed are the teachers themselves. 2) The excitement of
science, for students and teachers, is best transmitted through hands-on
work—that is “learning science by doing science.” 3) There is science
equipment that is both powerful enough to solve real problems and also
suitable for high school students. 4) Higher education faculty are in
a position to help basic education through the sharing of both knowledge
(providing professional development) and resources (providing access
to state-of-the-art equipment and fully prepared laboratory supplies
and materials). 5) A program such as “Science in Motion” should not add
to the burden of high school teachers, but rather must supplement and
enhance classroom learning. 6) The same group of teachers should be involved
over a period of several years so that a systemic change can take place. The National Science Foundation initially provided two five-year grants
to fund a program that supported chemistry and biology teachers. The
concept of Science In Motion subsequently spread to other disciplines
and other locations. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania now funds a total
of eleven basic education / higher education science and technology partnerships.
State-wide programs modeled after the Juniata experience are in operation
in Alabama and Delaware, and smaller regional programs exist in California
(Occidental College), Illinois (Chicago Science Alliance), North Carolina
(North Carolina State University), Indiana (Purdue), and New York (Marist
College). In summary, the success of the program has shown that teachers are not
the major barrier to good science teaching in our schools; the major
barrier is a systemic lack of time, resources and support for science
education in public education. The specific challenges are: 1) access
to adequate resources, 2) access to good professional development opportunities
for science teachers, and 3) the development and support of inquiry-based
science curricula. This partnership helps educators to address these
challenges. As a result, high school students with interests in these
sciences become more likely to pursue careers in science because they
have had exposure to the stimulating practice of hands-on science. Subsequently,
these students are in a much better positions to begin early undergraduate
research careers. Undergraduate students employed by the program also
benefit from the experiences gained in developing, teaching, and supporting
high school laboratory exercises – an ongoing need to keep science education
up-to-date. Contact: David Reingold, Department of Chemistry, Juniata
College.
_________________________________________________________________________ Keck
Geology Consortium. The Keck Geology Consortium is a group of twelve,
small geoscience faculties (Amherst College, Beloit College,
Carleton
College, Colorado College, Franklin & Marshall College, Pomona
College, Smith College, Trinity University, Washington and Lee
University, Whitman
College, Williams College, The College of Wooster) who work together
to improve undergraduate geoscience education through research.
Since it’s founding in 1987, the Keck Geology Consortium has sponsored
103 research projects for undergraduate students, supporting 800
undergraduate
students from over 80 schools across the nation and overseas. Project
faculty representing 43 organizations have worked with the Consortium.
Consortium alumni are a diverse group: 48% are women, and since
1991,
when the Consortium began collecting data on racial and ethnic
identification, 21% are from groups under-represented in the geosciences.
Alumni
span the distance along career path from graduate school to mid-career,
work in geoscience-related business and industry, are K-12 and
tertiary educators,
work for non-profit organizations, and a occupy a variety of professions
outside the sciences. The Consortium offers research projects at two levels: introductory
projects for rising juniors and advanced projects for rising seniors.
These projects are designed for large groups, nine to ten students and
three faculty, in order to combine the intellectual excitement of working
in a research group with opportunities to work independently on scientific
research. Students working on advanced projects make a yearlong commitment
to the program, and the nature of their experience varies markedly throughout
the year. In the summer, students spend four-weeks at the study site,
learning the geology, identifying a project, and gathering data. Field
time is an intense experience during which students and faculty form
connections that will characterize the group for the next academic year.
Following the fieldwork, students return to their home campus and work
under the guidance of an on-campus faculty sponsor. Introductory projects
give beginning students a taste of geoscience research, as well as sense
of the challenge and enjoyment that comes from solving Earth Science
problems. In these projects, students work in small teams to complete
a project in five weeks. These are intense weeks for students as they
learn not only the research problem but also the dynamics of their particular
group. Students improve their communication and cooperation skills as
they gather and interpret data, and produce a paper in a relatively short
period of time. During the academic year, students work, via e-mail and
the post, to produce an extended abstract and poster for presentation
at the annual symposium. The program year culminates for all students with presentation of results
at an annual symposium the following spring. Students are required to
submit four-page extended abstracts for publication in the symposium
volume. At the symposium, students present their work in both poster
and oral presentations. Students are also required to complete independent
study or senior thesis based on their Consortium project. Many also present
results at regional and national conferences. More detailed information
about the Consortium program and structure can be found at http://keck.carleton.edu.
_________________________________________________________________________ Undergraduate Research En Masse at Lehigh
University. For the past five
years, Professor Steve Regen has incorporated original research projects
as part of a second-semester organic chemistry laboratory. The goal has
been to provide a research experience in the chemical sciences to as
large and as broad a student body as possible. This past year’s experiment
is illustrative: In the fall of 2001, students worked on idea of combining ion exchange
chemistry with micellar chemistry to create a new class of materials
(“hydrophobic sponges”) that could remove organics from water. In the
first few weeks of the spring 2002 semester, fundamentals of polymer
and ion exchange chemistry were presented to the students during pre-lab
briefings, along with how soaps work. Then, the basis of the research
idea was presented to the class. Students were told that two of Professor
Regen’s coworkers (Dr. Vaclav Janout and Mr. Xun Yan) were preparing
resin-bound surfactants and that they were trying to develop an analytical
method that could be used to measure the absorption of organics. The
students’ task in this project would then be to do structure-activity
studies. A detailed procedure was given to the class, and they then obtained
the key data during one long (double-laboratory) period; experimental
methods included micropipeting, GC calibrations using an internal standard,
and quantitative GC analysis were employed. Students submitted signed
and dated data sheets, which included their raw data plus calculated
absorption values. The data were compiled by Mr. Yan and returned to
the class in the form of Tables and Figures, along with copies of their
data sheets. With the exception of five students, the quality of the
data generated was very good—smooth curves were obtained with minimal
scatter. The five students were given an opportunity to repeat their
experiment on a Saturday; four chose to do so and obtained data that
“hit the curves” produced by their colleagues. The results were discussed
in class and a reasonable interpretation of the data formulated. The
students were kept fully engaged, intellectually, throughout the project.
After obtaining written permission from the students to include them
as coauthors, a manuscript was prepared based on their findings and submitted
to Macromolecules. Prior to submission, the process of scientific publication
was discussed. All correspondence with the Editor (including the reviews)
were shared with the students. The paper was published [Macromolecules,
2002, 35, 8243] using a special coauthor format designed by the ACS,
where the names of the students were listed at the bottom of the first
page. We had a “paper signing party” at a local ice cream parlor in September
of 2003 to celebrate their achievement. In February of 2003, emails were sent to this class (79 students) requesting
feedback on the research part of the course; 25 responses were received,
all of which were strongly positive. For other similar projects, see:
Chem. Mater., 1998, 10, 855; Macromolecules, 1998, 31, 5542; Org. Lett.,
2000, 2, 2157. Contact: Steve Regen, Department of Chemistry, Lehigh
University.
_________________________________________________________________________ Preparation for Undergraduate Research at Lewis-Clark
State College.
At Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC) all chemistry majors are strongly
encouraged to complete a research project before graduation. While many
individual faculty strive to develop research projects that are beneficial
for undergraduate students, the Lewis-Clark State College Division of
Natural Science has developed a sequence of research preparation courses
that have proven to be quite beneficial. Past experience demonstrated
that substantive research projects require significant preparation, particularly
in the area of literature review and project design and planning. In
order to enhance student preparation for, and exposure to research, all
Natural Science majors at LCSC are required to take NS 380 (Natural Science
Seminar – one credit). In this course students spend four weeks developing
extensive literature-searching skills that utilize multiple on-line search
engines and databases. Since this course is taken by science majors from
multiple disciplines and because of the interdisciplinary nature of much
current research, students are exposed to research skills in multiple
disciplines including chemistry, biology, earth science, computer science
and math. As the semester progresses, students use primary literature
found during these searches to prepare abstracts of scientific articles.
They learn about scientific writing styles and how to use citation software.
Additionally, students are exposed to many on-campus resources that are
useful in doing research or preparing presentations or manuscripts. Some
examples include the media center, computer services, etc. The course
culminates in individual student presentations on an area of research
that is of interest to the student. After completing this course, students who elect to conduct a research
project take a second course, NS 398 (senior proposal – two credits).
In this course students select a faculty mentor with whom they will work
to develop a formal research proposal for a project to be conducted in
subsequent semesters. Using the skills developed in NS 380, students
conduct a primary literature review, design a detailed proposal outline
and write a formal proposal modeled after the National Science Foundation
proposal format. The proposal contains a project summary, project description,
citations, timeline for completion, resource requirements (budget, facilities,
equipment), methods of dissemination and letters of support from any
collaborators in other departments, institutions, industry or government
agencies. When completed, the proposals undergo review by a faculty panel
and are either accepted, accepted with revisions or rejected. Projects
that are approved usually result in research projects that last at least
one year. The culmination of the research projects is a presentation
to the college faculty which is evaluated on both content and presentation
quality. This formal preparation for conducting research has had significant
positive benefits. Projects are better planned; students are much more
familiar with the literature in their research area and thus take a more
active role in designing their projects. One student proposal was only
slightly modified and submitted to a company that resulted in donation
of a Raman spectrometer to LCSC. The end result of this process is an
increase in student presentations at scientific meetings, numerous award-winning
student posters and an increase in student co-authors. Contact: Christine
Pharr, Department of Chemistry, Lewis-Clark State College.
_________________________________________________________________________ The
MERCURY Undergraduate Research Consortium. Computational chemistry
faculty from seven undergraduate institutions have formed a consortium
known as the Molecular Education and Research Consortium in Undergraduate
computational chemistRY (MERCURY). The consortium allows faculty
and students from Colgate University, Connecticut College,
Hamilton College,
Hobart & William Smith Colleges, College of the Holy Cross,
Mount Holyoke College and St. Lawrence University access to state-of-the
art computational power and numerous opportunities for student
and
faculty
collaboration, mentoring and cross-fertilization. The objective
in forming the MERCURY consortium was to help undergraduate research
programs flourish,
and this has indeed occurred as evidenced by the number of proposals
and papers submitted by members either collectively or individually.
The consortium has recently received $780K from the National Science
Foundation’s Major Research Instrumentation program to purchase
computational
resources. MERCURY institutions provided $615K in matching funds,
and with these funds, an excellent collection of computers that
provide heavily-used computing cycles for faculty and undergraduate
students
has been assembled.
Another measure of consortia success is that in the two years since
the consortium was first established, its collective publication
rate
has
almost doubled, the number of external grant awards has more than
tripled (submittal rates are even higher) and more than four million
dollars
has been raised to support computational chemistry research involving
undergraduate students. The faculty involved in the MERCURY consortium
have mentored over 250 undergraduates, of whom 1/3 to 1/2 have
gone on to graduate school, and a disproportionate number of these
students
have
been women and minorities. The
MERCURY Consortium annually organizes a national meeting focusing on
undergraduate computational chemistry. Students and faculty benefit
intellectually and socially from engaging in detailed scientific
discussions with others. The ability to discuss science with others
passionately
engaged in the same subfield is a rare opportunity for an undergraduate
and these exchanges further students’ education and continue to
encourage
students’ interest in pursuing graduate studies in chemistry. Contact:
Susan Parish, Department of Chemistry, Hobart & William Smith
Colleges. For more detailed information please see mars.chem.hamilton.edu.
_________________________________________________________________________ The
Murdock Trust has supported and, more recently, administered a program
that provides two summers of full-time research experience
for in-service
high school science teachers. This “Partners in Science” program
was
initiated by Research Corporation, with offices in Tucson, and
was administered nationally by them for about ten years, with the Murdock
Trust providing
funding and auxiliary services in the Pacific Northwest. Since
the
year 2000, the Trust has assumed full administration of the program
in the
Pacific Northwest as well as sponsoring the annual national conference
for teachers in that program. The Camille & Henry Dreyfus Foundation
has also funded this program for several years in the New York
City area. This program is addressed to in-service high school science teachers
who teach biology, chemistry, astronomy, geology, or physics. Its purpose
is to provide teachers with an experience and a perspective on science
that most have never received: that of science as an organic and open-ended
activity. Grants in this program are made to the host research institution
(mostly colleges and universities), and include summer stipends for the
teachers as well as some minimal travel, research, and incidental support.
After completing the two-year research experience, teachers may apply
for Supplementary Awards, limited to $6,000 each, to go directly to their
high schools to implement the hands-on approaches to teaching that they
have learned in the research laboratory. To date, about 620 teachers have participated nationally (about 245
of these in the Pacific Northwest), impacting about 500,000 high school
students in their classes. In a recent evaluation of the program, many
teachers commented that, as a result of the experience, they feel more
confident in their teaching, they have new excitement and feel greater
professional dignity, and are connected better with the community of
scientists. Many noted increased enrollments in their science courses,
greater numbers of science majors, and more student motivation and interest.
As a direct result of their research experience, teachers indicated that
they introduced (per teacher-participant) 0.49 new regular courses (mostly
emphasizing hands-on work), 0.90 new laboratory courses, and 0.42 new
units into their curricula. Over a third of the teachers were successful
in approaching other sources, either local or national, for additional
funding for their school science programs, totaling over $1.3 million.
Contact: John Van Zytveld, Murdock Foundation.
_________________________________________________________________________ National
Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center (NEMAC). The National
Environmental Modeling and Analysis Center (NEMAC) is part of a major
proposed collaboration in the Asheville, North Carolina area, bringing
together three very different cultures – the academic community, the
government, and private enterprise – for addressing the region’s economic
well being. The Center will be located on the campus of the University
of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) and will work in collaboration
with other academic institutions, governmental agencies, non-profit companies,
and commercial companies. NEMAC will support many elements of the western
Carolinas economy and will build on the infrastructure created through
public funding already in place. Others that are a part of this collaboration include the Education
and Research Consortium of the Western Carolinas (founded by Congressman
Charles H. Taylor of the 11th Congressional District), the National
Climatic Data Center (NCDC), and Barons Services
Advance Meteorological Systems (BARONS). These organizations will initially supply the academic, governmental,
and commercial expertise necessary for the collaboration. UNCA will provide
the direction and administration of the Center. Previous thriving collaborations
have shown that participation by all three sectors is vital to success.
The Center will add to the intellectual base of UNCA and will provide
the institution with a means to be pro-active in the region in a way
that is consistent with the goals and mission of the University. NCDC
will gain increased use and relevance of the data in its archive, and
BAMS will gain incubation resources to allow it to begin the commercialization
of NCDC data. The participation of the commercial sector is key to the success of
the NEMAC, since the initial funding from the Library of Congress is
seed money with the expectations that NEMAC will become self-sustaining
from both commercial products and regional and national funding sources. It is envisioned that NEMAC will provide UNCA faculty and undergraduates
research opportunities during both the academic year and the summer.
Very important is the additional intellectual capital for UNCA coming
from both the collaborations and those scientists who will be employed
by the center. Contact: John Stevens, Chief Research Officer, University
of North Carolina-Asheville.
_________________________________________________________________________ North
Carolina State University provides diverse REU opportunities for
national and international undergraduate students, including those from
predominately Black and Native American universities, to participate
in faculty-mentored summer undergraduate research. REUs in Chemistry
and related fields are cited below, as are programs to stimulate interest
in science for K-12 students and to prepare middle and high school science
teachers for modern approaches in science education. NC State is a member
of the University of North Carolina Undergraduate Research
Consortium,
a system-wide network of 16 universities with a common goal of promoting
undergraduate research experiences across these and other universities.
It forms an ideal, well-organized model for developing a NSF Undergraduate
Research Center. North Carolina State REUs are as follows:
REU Department of Chemistry: www.ncsu.edu/chemistry/chemreu/. Students
from 10 national universities participated in 2002 as mentored researchers
at North Carolina State and with corporate partners.
REU in Fungal Genomics: www.fungalgenomics.ncsu.edu. In 2002, nine faculty
collaborators at six institutions mentored outstanding students in state-of-the-art
facilities using cutting edge techniques with the mission to discover
and analyze the function of genes from economically important fungi.
NSF Green Processing REU: www.che.ncsu.edu/reu. In 2002, students from
14 universities in 13 states participated in environmentally-responsible
processing research in Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Textiles
Engineering, Chemistry and Science, and Wood and Paper Science.
NSF Minority Graduate Education Summer Research Experience:
www.fis.ncsu.edu/grad_fellows/mge/sre.htm. A faculty-mentored research experience
with workshops, seminars and presentation of research; for outstanding undergraduates
who are considering a Ph.D.
REU Physics Program: www.physics.ncsu.edu/reu. Faculty-mentored research in
condensed matter and materials physics, nanoscience and technology, atomic
and nuclear physics, optics, astrophysics, and physics education.
NSF Science & Technology Center for Environmentally Responsible Solvents & Processes
(CERSP): www.nsfstc.unc.edu. Involves five participating institutions
with the mission to support multi-disciplinary, fundamental research
to identify
and enable sustainable processes and products using CO2-related technology.
Programs are weighted strongly towards historically underrepresented
segments of society.
NSF-VIGRE Traineeship Program: www.stat.ncsu.edu/admin/vigre02.htm. A program
in the Department of Statistics for training statisticians who make interdisciplinary
applied research and problem-solving activities central to the learning process.
Sustainable Agriculture at the Center for Environmental Farming Systems: www.cefs.ncsu.edu/.
Hands-on research in modern farming practices that promote agricultural sustainability
and resource management.
NSF Triangle Universities Nuclear Laboratory REU:
www.tunl.duke.edu/Undergrad/REU/reu.shtml. Faculty from North Carolina State
University, Duke University, and the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
enable students to become directly involved in low-energy nuclear physics research.
Howard Hughes Medical Institute Student Research Exploration
and Precollege Outreach Program: www.science-house.org/student/hhmi/sri.html and
www.ncsu.edu/project/bio-outreach/:
Summer Research Interns: For 9 rising college sophomores through seniors majoring
in science, math, science education, and technology. Must attend one of nine
colleges/universities in North Carolina. Students are placed in North Carolina
State campus laboratories or in government or corporate laboratories of the
Research Triangle Park, NC.
Reaching Incoming Student Enrichment (RISE) Program: Provides summer research
experience for 32 incoming NCSU freshmen in the department of their declared
major.
Learning Through Research Seminars: Provides a series of Learning Through Research
Seminars by leading scientists for undergraduate students on the NCSU campus
and each of the other institutions in the consortium to stimulate student interest
in research and to aid in recruiting student interns.
Bennett’s Millpond Project: Provides support for a year round, faculty-mentored
research program for teams of high school teachers and students in investigating
the environment of the old millpond in northeastern North Carolina.
Science of Sports: Research experience for high school juniors/seniors; involves
physiology and physics of sports.
Environtech: Two-week guided research experience for high school sophomores/juniors
in environmental technology.
Contact: George Barthalmus, Interim Director, University Honors Program, North
Carolina State University.
_________________________________________________________________________ Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research at Oakton
Community College.
At Oakton Community College, in Des Plaines, Illinois, we are in the
third semester of an embedded and interdisciplinary undergraduate research
program for community college students. This experience is offered as
a course during the academic year. For each of three semesters, Spring
2002, Fall 2002, and Spring 2003, there have been an average of 8 students
enrolled in the class. The course is taught by 5 faculty from chemistry
(1), biology (3), and medical laboratory technology (1). All faculty
members are present during course time and meet outside of class to plan
each week. Students participate in three interdisciplinary research projects. The
first, in collaboration with Northwestern University, studies biofilms
that develop during cystic fibrosis. The second, in collaboration with
the Chicago Botanical Gardens studies the fungi that connect the roots
of oak trees. The third, in collaboration with the Advanced
Photon Source (high energy synchrotron) at Argonne National Laboratory, Brookfield
Zoo, and the Field Museum of Natural History studies molecular evolution
through the x-ray crystal structures of lysozyme from the egg whites
of different species. The interdisciplinary nature of the experience is exciting for both
the students and the teachers. The students learn science by doing science
in an environment where they observe their teachers thinking about a
scientific question from different disciplines. Oakton Community College
is hoping to become a model for other community colleges. Over half of
the nation's enrolled undergraduates attend community colleges and over
75% of future K-12 teachers receive their only science education at a
community college. If community college students can be given exciting,
discovery-based research experiences, community colleges are in a powerful
position to change the way the nation thinks about science and the way
future teachers teach science. Contact: Mark Walter, Division of Science
and Health Careers, Oakton Community College.
http://www.oakton.edu/~mwalter/ure
_________________________________________________________________________ Undergraduate research at Pacific
Lutheran University (PLU, Tacoma, WA) has been ongoing for more than 40 years. The program began in 1958
when the first grant was awarded to PLU by the Research Corporation,
followed by the first NSF undergraduate research grant in 1962. Since
then, a variety of sources have supported undergraduate research programs,
including grants from the Research Corporation, NSF, and private foundations
such as the M. J. Murdock Charitable Trust. Students are involved in research as early as possible. Some students
who begin research early in their academic career, e.g., before their
sophomore or junior year, continue their research at PLU in subsequent
summers, and their continued participation strengthens the program. As
veteran researchers they are able to accomplish more in the second (or
third) summer, and they can serve as peer mentors for beginning research
students. Some students, after completing one or two years at PLU, move
on to NSF REU sites or other summer research programs in larger settings.
Collaborations between PLU faculty and colleagues at research universities
also open the door for PLU undergraduates to conduct research at the
collaborator’s institution. Faculty at PLU have built bridges with non-PLU researchers in the community
through the Partners in Science program (described above). One faculty
member has recently authored an RUI renewal grant that proposes to include
involvement of local MESA (Math, Science, and Engineering Achievement)
Program high school students in his research lab. Other faculty have
mentored students engaged in the high school International Baccalaureate
program, and students from nearby high schools who simply wanted to gain
experience in a chemistry lab. PLU faculty have also maintained and developed connections with some
of the national laboratories. PLU students have also gone to several
national laboratories for summer-long research experiences. Contact:
Craig Fryhle, Department of Chemistry, Pacific Lutheran University.
_________________________________________________________________________ A partnership between San
Jose State University and the IBM Almaden
Research Center supports a unique summer internship program in which
undergraduates and teachers do publishable research at the leading edge
of technology in an industrial research environment. The program, started
in 1994 and extended in 2001 for three more years, is supported by a
Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry (GOALI) grant
from the National Science Foundation. The program encompasses projects
in the areas of chemistry, engineering, and physics of materials with
special relevance to the microelectronics, semiconductor, and computer
industries. The goals of the program are manifold: to do research that would not
be possible without complementary resources (people, equipment, stipends);
to expose participants to academic/industrial environments; to enhance
scientific education; to increase the participation of underrepresented
groups in science and engineering; to provide information for enlightened
career decisions. Summer projects are at the IBM Almaden Research Center and draw about
20 undergraduates and 4 teachers from across the United States. Year
round collaborative research for SJSU students at both institutions is
also supported by this program. Participants are individually mentored
and become part of their mentor’s research group. Career Day, a weekly
technical seminar on IBM research frontiers, and a concluding poster
technical meeting enrich the internship experience, while networking
with interns from this and other programs and interacting with an international
group of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows broaden it. The interns form a diverse group, coming from large universities, from
primarily undergraduate institutions, and from community colleges across
the United States. Typically 50% of the participants are women and 13%
are members of groups underrepresented in science and technology. Non-local
undergraduate participants are housed together in the SJSU dorms as part
of their award, fostering a sense of cohesiveness within each group of
interns. Recruiting is done via post, e-mail and Internet postings to summer
internship sites; word of mouth is one of the most effective methods
of reaching potential interns. IBM scientists distribute information
about this program and other internship opportunities when they speak
at college campuses. Additionally, the grant provides some support to
interns to present their work at regional and national scientific meetings,
another avenue to prospective participants. In developing this program, many issues have had to be addressed. For
example, academic and industrial institutional goals sometimes differ,
and timetables and milestones may be out of phase. Intellectual property
and confidentiality issues have to be considered and resolved. A personal
champion at each institution has been a must. Our experience has been
a win-win-win situation-- the industrial partner gains research, enhanced
academic ties and an injection of youthful enthusiasm; the academic partner
gains research, student and faculty industrial awareness and can leverage
other funding; and the interns gain unique insider experience in an industrial
research environment. Contacts: Charles Wade, Dolores Miller, IBM Almaden
Research Center, and Joseph Pesek, Maureen Scharberg, Department of Chemistry,
San Jose State University, San Jose, CA.
_________________________________________________________________________ The Summer Program for Research Interns (SPRI) at The
South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics is a program for rising
high school seniors in public and private schools in South Carolina.
The goal of SPRI is to motivate bright, academically talented students
to pursue careers in science, mathematics, or technology. Participants in the program include rising seniors at GSSM plus a number
of students from other state high schools who are chosen from a pool
of applicants. The participating students are paired with researchers
in a field in which the student has indicated an interest. The student
works in the researcher’s lab for an average of six weeks during the
summer on a project that can usually be completed within that six-week
period. At the conclusion of the research, the student writes a summary
of the project in the form of a scholarly paper. The students also present
the results of their research at the Governor’s School Annual Research
Colloquium. The research project can take a number of forms.
• One example of a project that involved real-world problem solving is
a project that Michael McTaggart, a GSSM student, completed for the
Exercise Science Department of the University of South Carolina in
the summer of 1995. The department needed a dynamic force platform
to expand their ability to complete studies on falls of individuals.
The cost of $40,000 for a commercial dynamic force platform was prohibitive.
Working with the Civil Engineering Department of the University, Michael
designed, programmed, and tested a working prototype of a device that
cost under $100.
• In the summer of 1997 Lindsay Sims, another GSSM student, helped to
make the conversion of a Sigma 115 gas chromatograph to an Autosystem
gas chromatograph for the Du Pont plant in Florence, South Carolina.
• Marshall Shuler, a student at South Florence High School, worked with
the United States Department of Agriculture at the Coastal Plains Soil,
Water, and Plant Research Center in Florence, South Carolina. Marshall’s
project was to determine if wastewater from swine operations could be
treated effectively with media filters. As students work on the projects, they not only gain a considerable
amount of information on the subject, they develop skills inherent to
the field in which they work. Students usually begin the research by
studying the background of the subject with the direction of the research
mentors. Once the students have a background in the area of research,
they begin to work in the laboratory or in the field. By the completion
of the project the students often become proficient in their specialized
fields of study. Many students continue in their summer research field through college.
For example, Rosa Bailey worked with Dr. William Pennington at the Clemson
University x-ray crystallography lab in the summer of 1991. Rosa recently
completed her Ph.D. in x-ray crystallography at Clemson. She worked with
Dr. Pennington throughout her college career in that same lab in which
she did her summer research. Another student who completed her research
in the summer of 2002 in a University of South Carolina biology lab said,
“My research experience helped me decide on my major for college. It
was truly an exciting and educational experience.” Participating institutions include the three major research institution
in South Carolina, Clemson University, the Medical University
of South Carolina, and the University of South Carolina. Additional institutions
include other state colleges and universities, industries, and private
and governmental institutions. A few students serve their internships
in institutions in other states or foreign countries. Since the program
began in the summer of 1990, thousands of student interns have participated
at more than 80 institutions. Contact: Robert Trowell, South Carolina
Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics.
_________________________________________________________________________
SURE/SEED: A Chemistry Collaboration at Stonehill College. In 1996, Stonehill
College created a formal, campus-wide, summer undergraduate research
program – the Stonehill Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). Open
to students in all disciplines, the SURE Program funds up to 15 professors
and 15 students each summer for intensive work on a research topic. Either
a student or a member of the faculty may initiate the partnership. The
faculty/student teams collaboratively shape a proposal for the project
that outlines the goals, the methods, and the anticipated outcomes for
the research.
During the Summer 2002, the Department of Chemistry expanded the SURE
program to include economically disadvantaged high school students from
southeastern Massachusetts (Apponequet Regional High School,
Brockton High School, Newton Country Day School, Quincy High School
and Rockland
High School). Academically gifted, economically disadvantaged high school
juniors and seniors worked in Stonehill’s chemistry and biochemistry
laboratories for eight weeks as part of the American Chemical Society’s
Project SEED (Summer Educational Experience for the Disadvantaged). The
SEED program was jointly sponsored by the American Chemical Society and
the Verizon Foundation’s EdLink program. The program’s aim is to increase
the number of students from under-represented groups that choose to go
to college to study science, particularly chemistry or biochemistry. Each high school student was jointly mentored by a faculty member and
a SURE college student. The SURE students started working in the laboratories
three weeks before the high school students arrived and thus were comfortable
working in the laboratory, but still remembered clearly the many questions
they had when they first started three weeks prior. A unique feature of the Project at Stonehill is the coupling of the
SEED student with a SURE scholar. The high school students benefit from
the extra chemistry knowledge and experience that the undergraduates
have while obtaining a first hand account of college life. The Stonehill
students benefit from teaching, which reinforces their knowledge of the
principles and applications of chemistry. The need to describe the research
to the high school students makes the SURE students have a better understanding
of it.
_________________________________________________________________________ Timberline
High School, Boise, ID. High school chemistry programs have
recently been initiated with Boise State University (BSU), the Idaho
Department of Environmental Quality (IDEQ), memory-chip maker Micron
Technology, and local non-profits for service-learning activities in
the city of Boise. The underlying strategy of these programs has been
to place students with university researchers, and to build programs
that have an emphasis on student engagement in chemistry. The latter
are “light” in their research aspects. Program descriptions:
1) Partnership with IDEQ. An air quality monitoring station has been
set up at Timberline High School. Starting in the Fall, Timberline
chemistry students will be taking weekly PM10, CO, NOx, and SOx measurements.
Using these collected data and an understanding of atmospheric pollution
chemistry, these students will be part of DEQ’s community outreach
program that w |