This REU site is a re-start, after a short break, of the Summer Undergraduate Research Program in the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences originally established in 1987. The objectives of the Program, broadly speaking, are to provide participants with an intensive research experience, to broaden their exposure to research domains, and to increase their research skills, knowledge, and interest toward a possible research career. To accomplish these objectives students participate as full members of a faculty mentor's research team with exposure to all aspects of the research endeavor, each taking primary responsibility for a specific research project. The research of the laboratories, in which the students are working, all fits into one of three themes: perception and perceptual-motor coordination, learning and memory, and affective and social aspects of behavior. The students prepare written and oral reports and poster presentations about their project. They attend a seminars led by program mentors and researchers in related areas. They participate in laboratory tours and field trips such as to the Brain Sciences Center at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, the fMRI Center, the Human Factors Laboratory, etc. Participants take part in workshops devoted to research ethics, technical writing, preparation of oral and written reports, and the process of applying to graduate programs.
Intellectual merit: Faculty mentors are well-known and productive researchers in their fields with a commitment to fostering undergraduate research. The students are exposed to and explore all phases of laboratory research projects, including the design, conduct, analysis, and write-up of the research. In consultation with their mentor, they select some aspect of the research for which they take responsibility. This becomes their project. The seminar presentations given by active and productive researchers ensures student exposure to a broad range of topics in the cognitive and behavioral sciences. The Centers and specialized laboratories to be visited provide contact with cutting-edge technology and integrated scientific programs. Such visits convey the sense of how current research is often interdisciplinary in nature.
Broader impact: Participants returning to their home schools after completion of the program communicate the nature of their experience and the results of their projects. This is done sometimes through formal presentations at their home schools as well as informal discussions with faculty and fellow students. Their research posters are often presented at undergraduate research conferences and sometimes at regular professional conferences. In many cases they continue working on that research. They also convey the excitement they feel for the scientific enterprise. As a result, there is an increase in applications to the REU program from schools of alumni. The long-term impact is also evident in the large number of alumni who go on to graduate study. Many have gone on to successful careers as researchers and academicians.
The National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program provides opportunities for undergraduate students to engage in research and educational experiences that encourage and prepare them for careers in science. Funded since1987, the 10-week Summer REU Program in the Behavioral and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Minnesota provided such an opportunity. Description of the program (2011-2013) The program was held annually from the first week in June through the first full week in August The primary activity was research (25-30 hours per week). Each participant worked as part of a research team under the guidance and mentoring of a faculty member and one or more graduate students. In addition to providing research experience, the program also gave participants a preview of life in graduate school. The REU Program in the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences was unique in its breath, and always included a diverse cross-section of research areas and methodological approaches. It was also strongly interdisciplinary. Participants attended seminars that were held three times a week. Early in the summer, the seminar consisted primarily of research presentations by faculty from different areas within the cognitive and behavioral sciences. These included presentations on visual and auditory perception, robotics, language comprehension, drug addiction, animal learning, child development, lie detection, and a host of other topics. A balance was always maintained between behavioral, neural, and computational approaches. In this way, the program highlighted the interdisciplinary character of the behavioral and cognitive sciences. During the later weeks of the program, the participants gave oral reports on the research in which they were engaged. One of the goals of the program was to provide participants with the tools for success in graduate school. To meet this goal, a series of workshops were held each summer. These included: (1) a workshop on scientific writing, (2) a three-part workshop on research ethics developed for the program by the University of Minnesota’s Center for Bioethics, (3) a tutorial on the preparation of oral and written research reports and research posters, and (4) a session with faculty and graduate students on successfully applying to graduate school. This REU Program in the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences was one of several summer research programs in different disciplines at the University of Minnesota. The majority of students in these programs share housing in a University dormitory. They also take part in social and intellectual activities together. The participants: The participants were chosen from a strong pool of approximately 250 applicants each year. They were selected to include a wide range of research interests and methodological approaches. They were drawn mainly from schools with limited research opportunities. A large number of participants were first generation college students and/or members of ethnic minority groups. Approximately ninety percent of the 2011-2013 participants are now enrolled in research-oriented graduate programs. Others are participating in such programs as Teach for America or Fulbright programs for teaching and study abroad. A number have taken time off with the intent of pursuing graduate studies later. Some learned from their participation in the program that their true academic and career interests were in other fields of endeavor. Since its beginning, the REU Program in the Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences has been very successful in producing a cadre of academics and researchers. These individuals are represented at both large and small institutions. Some have assumed academic administrative positions.
