This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. The Outreach Core carried out the following activities: 1) recruitment of students for the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellows (SURF) Program from underrepresented groups and non-network institutions in the State;2) organization of a seminar series;and 3) organization of biannual retreats. The SURF Program was advertised nationally through the RI-INBRE and RI SURF web sites, presentations at summer internship fairs, and postings at other institutions'web sites. A total of 8 applications from well qualified applicants who belong to either ethnic minorities or a non-network institution were received. Four students (4 females) were accepted. Three of the accepted students were from underrepresented ethnic groups and one was from a non-network institution. The students attended the University of Rhode Island (URI), Brown University (Brown), and URI's College of Continuing Education. This past year, one former Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow from the Community College of Rhode Island, an Outreach Institution, was listed as a co-author on a publication. The Core organized eleven seminars throughout the Network institutions. Some of the seminars were video cast from the host institution to the other Network institutions. The SURF Conference was held on August 4, 2008. The program was attended by 180 participants, including the Steering Committee, the External Advisory Committee, and higher administrators from all six of the Network institutions. The program included 55 poster presentations by students in the SURF program. The RI-INBRE Winter Retreat was held on January 30, 2009 at Roger Williams University. A total of 100 individuals participated in this event and 42 posters were presented by students and faculty. Both retreats provided opportunities for the investigators and their students to share research findings and foster research collaborations. During the last year, the Outreach Core has also developed a collaborative arrangement with project ARISE (Advancing Rhode Island Science Education) which is supported by a SEPA (Science Education Partnership Award) grant from the National Center for Research Resources to Brown University. Project ARISE is under the direction of Drs. Jennifer Aizenman, John Stein, and Lawrence Wakeford. The focus of the collaboration is to provide an opportunity for selected Rhode Island high school science teachers, who were part of the ARISE program during the academic year, to participate in summer research supported by the RI-INBRE Outreach Core and SURF program. Each teacher will spend approximately four weeks, under the supervision of a participating RI-INBRE investigator, gaining first-hand laboratory experience that they will then use to enhance the science programs at their respective high schools. It is expected that this collaboration will lead to new opportunities for expanded educational partnerships between RI-INBRE, ARISE, and students and teachers at high schools throughout the state.
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