This REU Site award to the University of Nebraska, located in Lincoln, NE, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2018-2020. The program focuses on redox biology which involves oxidation-reduction linked biological reactions, redox signaling and regulation, and cellular defense mechanisms against oxidative damage/stress. REU participants will conduct research under the guidance of a faculty mentor in the Redox Biology Center. The mentors offer multidisciplinary approaches and share a common goal of understanding critical redox-active processes. Students will receive training in different areas including molecular biology, microbiology, biochemistry, biophysical chemistry, and protein crystallography, and will utilize state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. Students will attend journal club meetings, career development seminars, lunch discussion groups, ethics/responsible conduct of research training, and social activities to enhance their cohort experience. The program will conclude with students presenting their research at a campus-wide event. The program will be assessed by various means, including an REU common assessment tool. Participant selection will be made by faculty and will be based on academic achievements, research interests, and career goals. Students at smaller institutions with limited research opportunities and those from underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Participants receive a stipend, full room and board, and travel assistance.
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. The goal of this program is to involve undergraduate students in broad-based research and significantly impact their career decisions.
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. 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 is available by visiting http://redoxbiologycenter.unl.edu/summer, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Donald Becker at dbecker3@unl.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Julie Stone at jstone2@unl.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.
