REU Site: Structure and Function of Biological Molecules

University Of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore MD

Investigators

Abstract

The Experiences in Molecular Biology Academic Research Careers (EMBARC) Program at UMBC offers a focused, comprehensive ten-week residential summer research program to ten undergraduates recruited from two and four year colleges. This program, which is supported by the National Science Foundation as one of its Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Sites, offers a $3,000 student summer stipend with paid campus housing and program activities. EMBARC Trainees will be paired with faculty mentors to guide their individual research projects, which will be focused on the Structure and Function of Biological Molecules. Faculty mentors will be drawn from three departments at UMBC: Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and Chemical and Biochemical Engineering. EMBARC Trainees will work closely with their faculty research mentors to ensure the quality of the student experience. In addition to conducting individual research projects, EMBARC Trainees will participate in an Ethics in Science Course and a GRE Preparation Course stressing math and verbal skills. To enhance research training and promote the pursuit of post baccalaureate education, each EMBARC Trainee will also be paired with a graduate student peer mentor, who will be selected from underrepresented groups in the sciences whenever possible. They will participate in field trips and team building activities with other undergraduate researchers, mentors and peer mentors. Program outcomes include the creation of student portfolios and presentation of research projects at an end-of-the-summer Research Fest. Parents and advisors/mentors from home institutions will be invited to the Research Fest, which will showcase each student's efforts and will encourage continued support for post program research activities and the pursuit of careers in science.