REU Site in the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

Project Summary This REU site is a re-start, after a short break, of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program in the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences originally established in 1987. The objectives of the Program, broadly speaking, are to provide participants with an intensive research experience, to broaden their exposure to research domains, and to increase their research skills, knowledge, and interest toward a possible research career. To accomplish these objectives students participate as full members of a faculty mentor's research team with exposure to all aspects of the research endeavor, each taking primary responsibility for a specific research project. The research of the laboratories, in which the students are working, all fits into one of three themes: perception and perceptual-motor coordination, learning and memory, and affective and social aspects of behavior. The students prepare written and oral reports and poster presentations about their project. They attend a seminars led by program mentors and researchers in related areas. They participate in laboratory tours and field trips such as to the Brain Sciences Center at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, the fMRI Center, the Human Factors Laboratory, etc. Participants take part in workshops devoted to research ethics, technical writing, preparation of oral and written reports, and the process of applying to graduate programs. Intellectual merit: Faculty mentors are well-known and productive researchers in their fields with a commitment to fostering undergraduate research. The students are exposed to and explore all phases of laboratory research projects, including the design, conduct, analysis, and write-up of the research. In consultation with their mentor, they select some aspect of the research for which they take responsibility. This becomes their project. The seminar presentations given by active and productive researchers ensures student exposure to a broad range of topics in the cognitive and behavioral sciences. The Centers and specialized laboratories to be visited provide contact with cutting-edge technology and integrated scientific programs. Such visits convey the sense of how current research is often interdisciplinary in nature. Broader impact: Participants returning to their home schools after completion of the program communicate the nature of their experience and the results of their projects. This is done sometimes through formal presentations at their home schools as well as informal discussions with faculty and fellow students. Their research posters are often presented at undergraduate research conferences and sometimes at regular professional conferences. In many cases they continue working on that research. They also convey the excitement they feel for the scientific enterprise. As a result, there is an increase in applications to the REU program from schools of alumni. The long-term impact is also evident in the large number of alumni who go on to graduate study. Many have gone on to successful careers as researchers and academicians.