REU Site: Summer program in the biochemical sciences

University Of Kentucky Research Foundation, Lexington KY

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to the University of Kentucky, located in Lexington, KY, will support the training of eight students for ten weeks during the summers of 2014-2017. The goal of the site is to encourage participants recruited mainly from Appalachia to pursue careers in the biochemical sciences. Eight students will work with mentors from the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. The Department is well equipped and has the facilities to allow student participants to carry out cutting edge research and students will each have their own independent research project. They will be expected to participate in formulation of hypotheses, design and execution of experiments, and the analysis and presentation of the results. In addition, students will receive training in several aspects of professional development including laboratory safety, ethics, career opportunities in the biochemical sciences, and scientific communication. The program will culminate with the students presenting their data in short oral presentations. The students will interact extensively with research personnel of all levels. The Department has a long and successful track record of involving undergraduates in research. Many of these students have continued on to careers in science, as researchers and teachers. Participants will be selected by the PI and Co-PI. Success of this program will be determined by using a common assessment tool developed by the NSF BIO REU and by surveys developed by this REU Site. The goal of this REU Site is to encourage students from the impoverished Appalachia region to pursue careers in the biochemical sciences. Emphasis will be put on recruiting students from institutions with few research opportunities and from underrepresented groups. REU participants will be tracked after the program to determine their career path and each student must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information including the application materials can be found by visiting https://biochemistry.med.uky.edu/nsf-reu-site-summer-program-biochemical-sciences, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Trevor Creamer at Trevor.Creamer@uky.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Rebecca Dutch at rdutc2@uky.edu).