REU Site: Summer Integrative Neuroscience Experience (SINE) in Jupiter

Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton FL

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to Florida Atlantic University (FAU), located in Jupiter, FL will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2020-2022. Students will have the opportunity to work in laboratories at FAU, Scripps-Florida and the Max Plank-Florida Institute on research that focuses on a range of neuroscience projects, including synaptic function, behavioral pharmacology, neurogenetics and systems neuroscience. Students will participate in workshops that provide a broad background in scientific communication, research approaches, and responsible conduct in research. Students will be selected based on academic merit, and potential for success in research, with the goal of recruiting under-represented minorities (URM), first generation college students, and those from non-research intensive institutions. Formal mentoring will continue beyond the completion of the summer internship to provide support for those students interested in pursuing graduate school, industry positions, or other science-related opportunities. Taken together, this summer program will provide students an integrative experience that will support the pursuit of research-oriented careers in neuroscience. 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, enhance their lab skills, and learn concepts in neuroscience. Many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences including the summer undergraduate research symposium. Students will also interact with other REU programs at FAU and Scripps and engage in scientific networking activites throughout the summer. A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Formative and summative assessments will be done to determine student perception of career goals, research experience, and confidence in different science areas, i.e. research, microscopy, statistics, presentation. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available at http://www.fau.edu/jupiter/reu-program.php or by contacting the PI (Dr. Alex Keene at Keene@FAU.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Stackman at rstackma@fau.edu). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.