An REU Site for Environmental Research Experiences for SMET Minority Students in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge LA

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Cartledge Institution: Louisiana State University & Agricultural Institution and Mechanical College This award supports a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site at Louisiana State University & Agricultural Institution and Mechanical College for the summers of 2003-2005. It will provide research opportunities and supplementary training and enrichment for 16 minority students from Louisiana institutions primarily, and Mississippi and Texas. Frank K. Cartledge is the program director. Cheryle Peters is co-PI of the project. REU students representing all STEM areas will be recruited. The research will have an environmental theme. Faculty mentors from the departments of chemistry, mathematics, computer science, biological sciences, physics, various engineering disciplines and agronomy will provide a wide spectrum of research projects. Participants will attend a short computer course, explore research ethics, and attend seminars dealing with technical writing, graduate school and oral communication skills. All students will present their results by the end of the summer at an LSU poster conference. This program will cooperate with others that are ongoing at LSU, including the NSF-supported Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation (LAMP) and the NSF and Howard Hughes REU summer research programs in Chemistry, Biochemistry, and Chemical Engineering. This REU site is funded by the Division of Chemistry and the Office of Multidisciplinary Activities in the Directorate for Mathematics and Physical Sciences, and the Division of Human Resource Development in the Directorate for Education and Human Resources.