REU Site: LA Observed: Summer Program in Ethnographic Research on LA at Play

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

This award provides funds for an REU Site in Sociology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Members of the Sociology Department, in collaboration with faculty from a variety of other disciplines on the campus, are currently involved in launching a large-scale research project concerning contemporary urban life in Los Angeles called LA Observed. The REU Site will focus on the training of undergraduate students to conduct ethnographic field research in one substantive area of that project: cultural activities around the city. Fifteen undergraduate students will participate in the eight-week program. The majority of students will be recruited from the regional campuses of the California State University system, with a smaller number coming from the host institution. The goal of the Site is to attract a diversified pool of talented undergraduates, especially those from under-represented groups, who might not otherwise have the opportunity to participate in an intensive research environment. Students will work closely with faculty research supervisors in classroom activities for 8-10 hours per week, and will engage in independent fieldwork at their chosen site for an additional 10-15 hours per week. They will receive rigorous academic training that will quickly allow them to gain first-hand knowledge about the nature of sociological inquiry and analysis. Each student will produce a professional-quality final research paper. Students will thus have the opportunity to contribute to the success of the larger LA Observed project. This award contributes to the Foundation's continuing efforts to attract talented students into careers in science through active undergraduate research experiences.