This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The ninth consecutive Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program was conducted from May 24th through July 30th. Applications for fellowships at URI and Brown were administered centrally at the University of Rhode Island (URI). Applications for the SURF Program at each of the PUIs were handled by the SURF Program Coordinators at each of the institutions. These Coordinators were members of the Steering Committee. Accepted students were assigned individual research projects mentored by faculty members at the network institutions. Each PUI investigator typically trained three SURF students. A total of 83 students participated in the 2010 SURF Program (15 at the University of Rhode Island, 15 at Providence College, 26 at Rhode Island College, 11 at Roger Williams University, and 16 at Salve Regina University). Of these, 9 students were underrepresented minorities and 50 were female. In addition, two high school teachers participated in an intensive 4-week research training program alongside the SURF students. One teacher worked in Dr. Sheila Quinn's laboratory at Salve Regina University and the other worked in Dr. Navindra Seeram's laboratory at the University of Rhode Island. In all, the SURF Program resulted in 9 journal articles and 79 presentations acknowledging RI-INBRE grant support. Participation in the Program was increased by 17 students over the previous year, greatly improving the visibility and impact of the Program. Student recruitment was carried out by advertising the SURF Program through the RI-INBRE and RI SURF web sites, presentations at summer internship fairs, internet posting services, and brochures displayed at various Rhode Island institutions of higher education. The Program promoted a sense of belonging to the RI-INBRE community and unity among the undergraduate researchers at all of the Network institutions. Furthermore, students were encouraged to list the RI-INBRE Fellowship on their resume to enhance their chances of acceptance into graduate programs. In order to bring together undergraduate researchers in the biomedical and life sciences, a calendar of events was developed collaboratively with the Rhode Island Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (RI EPSCoR). These events included seminars and workshops on laboratory safety, research ethics, poster preparation, graduate education, bioinformatics, communicating science to the general public, and demonstrations on instrumentation in the RI-INBRE Centralized Research Core Facility. Selected workshops and seminars were broadcasted via videoconferencing to all of the network institutions. The students also toured Pfizer's research facilities in Groton, Connecticut and Newport Biodiesel, a biofuels manufacturing plant in Newport, RI. The joint RI-INBRE and RI EPSCoR Program has not only provided a structured training environment for undergraduates interested in biomedical and life sciences research, but also a platform for these students from around the state to present their research findings. The 2010 SURF Program concluded with a half-day conference where students from the RI-INBRE Program presented 64 scientific posters and students from the RI EPSCoR Program presented an additional 31 scientific posters. Almost 300 individuals attended the event, including the Rhode Island's Lieutenant Governor, Elizabeth Roberts who also gave the welcome address. Amgen's Dr. Vinny Browning spoke to the students about future career paths. URI's Provost, Dr. Donald DeHayes, emphasized the importance of undergraduate research in higher education. Other attendees included administrators and faculty from the participating institutions, government officials, industry representatives, and parents.
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