This proposal deals with Research Enrichment activities and one Pilot Research Project. The research enrichment program will include workshops, seminars and journal clubs conducted by visiting scientists, summer research training by students and participation in regional and national scientific meetings. Four sophomores during each year, will participate in off-campus summer research. During the second academic year, research training of students will be shifted to Lane College. All biology majors will participate in workshops and seminars. The pilot project deals with the study of the effects of chronic alcohol intake on the sexual behavior of male rats. Three hypothesis will be tested. 1) Chronic alcohol exposure results in erectile and copulatory dysfunction, 2) Alcohol induces changes in androgen levels which contribute to sexual dysfunction, and 3) Protein malnutrition contributes to alcohol induced dysfunction. The students will participate in all phases of this program. They will research literature, handle and care for animals, master instruments, formulate hypotheses, design and conduct experiments, record and interpret results and write papers. They will also present papers in regional and national scientific meetings.
