REU Site: Summer Research Projects in Neuroscience

University Of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia MO

Investigators

Abstract

This project is co-funded by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. The University of Missouri Columbia (MU) REU program in neuroscience will provide research training for 9 weeks for 12 students, during the summers of 2010- 2012. The program has a wide range of interesting and exciting interdisciplinary projects in neuroscience, with both wet-lab and computational components. Research projects are drawn from all levels in neuroscience (intracellular/cellular, systems and behavioral), with participating faculty coming from the Colleges of Arts & Science, Engineering, and Veterinary Medicine. MU is the largest institution of higher learning in Missouri and the flagship campus of the University of Missouri system. There is a vibrant summer research program on campus, and REU students will join a group of over 100 undergraduate researchers from all over the US each summer. Students are expected to do full-time lab research as well as participate in seminars and various workshops, engaging in topics such as the responsible conduct in research, professional communication skills, career opportunities in industry and academia, and the graduate school application process. The program's multi-phase recruitment effort consists of both regular mailings as well as digital-based advertising. Students are selected based on academic record, research performance, and potential for outstanding research in neuroscience. Students are tracked to determine their continued interest in their academic field of study, their career paths, and the lasting influences of the research experience. The program will be assessed by various means, including an REU common assessment tool. More information is available by visiting http://biomod.ece.missouri.edu , or by contacting the PI (Dr. Satish Nair at nairs@missouri.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Rex Cocroft at cocroftr@missouri.edu).