REU Site: Program in Molecular Biosciences

Colorado State University, Fort Collins CO

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to Colorado State University, located in Fort Collins, CO, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2015- 2017. Students will participate in a program that exposes them to a broad range of research areas and approaches that constitute the modern discipline of biochemistry and molecular biology. Students will be involved in their own research project where they learn how to formulate and test hypotheses, design and execute experiments, analyze results, and use state-of-the-art techniques and instrumentation. Students receive a stipend, free housing in a university residence hall or apartment building, a meal allowance, and an allowance to defray travel to/from the site. At the end of the program, students will present their research results orally and through a poster, and produce a final report in manuscript form. In addition to research, students will engage in activities that will enhance their knowledge of the environment such as an educational hike in the Rocky Mountain National Park. Field trips to nearby government labs and biotech companies as well as workshops on GRE preparation, ethical conduct of research and scientific careers are also planned. The program will use the BIO REU Sites common assessment tool to obtain feedback and assessment data for improving our REU program and all REU programs. Students with limited opportunities for research and those from groups under-represented in science are especially encouraged to apply. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Students are required to be tracked after the program and must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by visiting http://www.bmb.colostate.edu/undergraduates/reu/program-description/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Paul Laybourn at Paul.Laybourn@colostate.edu), the co-PI (Dr. P. Shing Ho at Shing.Ho@colostate.edu), or Stasi Brazil-Engleman at 970-491-5602 or reubiochem@colostate.edu.