REU: Undergraduate Research Experiences in Biology at James Madison University

James Madison University, Harrisonburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

The Biology Department at James Madison University (JMU) is characterized by its focus on undergraduate research as the ultimate teaching tool. This focus is manifested in the number of undergraduates conducting research projects (over 100 per year) and the number of established faculty having extramurally-funded research programs (66%). In the summer of 2001 a pilot summer research program was enormously successful in supporting the continuation of research conducted during the academic year and achieving the educational goals of the department. Funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will enable JMU to expand this pilot program to include students outside the boundaries of JMU and to enhance the research pedagogy within the department. The new NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program will provide an exciting 10-week summer research experience at the JMU campus. The experience will begin with a research workshop aimed at ensuring that all students have the fundamental tools necessary to conduct their research program. Mini-lectures and discussion sessions will be interspersed with experiential activities throughout the day and each day will end with a summary session where fundamental concepts will be reinforced. Topics covered will include "thinking outside the box", quantitative methods, data interpretation, technical writing, bioethics, multimedia strategies, and an introduction to basic laboratory instrumentation. The remaining 9 weeks of the experience will be largely devoted to research along with seminars, student research talks and faculty-originated case study scenarios. It is anticipated that the research project conducted in the summer will continue into the academic year, either in a JMU laboratory or through a collaborative arrangement with the student's home institution. It is also expected that the results of these projects will be disseminated via presentations in regional/national meetings and peer-reviewed journals. Recruitment will focus on four primary groups of constituents within our geographical region, 1) non-JMU students at institutions that do not support robust summer research programs, 2) students from minority-serving institutions, 3) community college students, and 4) JMU students. We have already built liaisons with these college/universities through our recently funded "Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology" (UMEB) program. Recruitment will be accomplished using mailings, e-mails, personal contacts, personal visits, and the resources of the Office of Multicultural Activities at JMU. Applications will be assessed on the basis of the student's academic achievements/potential, minimum course requirements, potential for continuation of the summer research project, and ability to support the diversity of the program. In addition to students, we will also recruit potential faculty mentors from these institutions via the use of Research Opportunity Awards to faculty that have active NSF grants