REU Site: Intensive Mentored Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) in Psychology and Neuroscience

Cuny Brooklyn College, Brooklyn NY

Investigators

Abstract

This project is funded by the Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Sites program in the SBE Directorate, which supports active research by undergraduate students to encourage their participation in the nation's scientific research and development enterprise. The Brooklyn College/CUNY REU program aims to advance discovery for the scientific and broader communities while promoting mentoring, learning, and professional development by: (1) immersing students from underrepresented groups in innovative research in psychology and neuroscience; (2) guiding students through the scientific process, from generation of research questions to communication of results; (3) engaging students in didactics that highlight the relevance and applied value of their laboratory work; (4) enhancing students' competitiveness for graduate school and professional positions; (5) training mentors to meet students’ training needs; and (6) boosting the research competence of local teachers with downstream positive learning effects for their middle and high school students. This program also enables faculty to supervise talented individuals who might otherwise miss out on critical professional development opportunities and contributes to the training and advancement of the next generation of scientists. The central (scientific) component is a semester-long laboratory immersion, which results in a completed research project. We select 10 students annually from public two-year and four-year institutions in the NY metropolitan area. Students also attend weekly didactics: a seminar that focuses on research methods, statistical reasoning, data analysis, and professional issues/career development; and a journal club that familiarizes students with critically evaluating scientific literature. To address ethical issues that arise in research environments, we train students in key ethical guidelines and regulations. As a capstone experience, students present a first-authored poster where they compete for awards based on the quality of their work and ability to communicate their findings. Many REU students work with their mentors to publish their results in peer-reviewed journals. We also host a mentor training presentation to facilitate strong and productive mentor-mentee relationships. Finally, our program has a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) component, which provides two teachers annually with coursework and mentored laboratory experiences to enhance their research proficiency and raise the level of science education in local middle and high schools. 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.