Funding from NSF will support an Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB) program at the University of Memphis. We propose to actively involve students from underrepresented ethnic groups in environmental research, thus encouraging them to pursue professions in environmental biology as viable career choices. We plan to use research facilities at The University of Memphis and the Meeman Biological Field Station to provide a unique learning experience for participating undergraduate students. Our goals are to teach the scientific method, critical thinking, data analysis, and writing skills by directly involving students in the development and testing of hypotheses centered on environmental biology. Seven professors from a variety of science and math fields will recruit and mentor minority students from their sophomore-senior years. We have a plan to attract underrepresented students in the sciences and present them with specialty skills-oriented courses, field and laboratory research experiences, and exposure to minority role models to prepare them for professional careers in environmental biology. We have partnered with numerous private and government agencies and potential employment institutions to expose students to academic and professional role models and employment opportunities. Assessment of our program and dissemination of information will include professional presentations and manuscripts, Internet links from the University, and the use of our participants as recruiters for additional candidates. We believe that our UMEB program will nurture excitement for scientific inquiry, increase minority participation in careers in environmental biology, and provide a model for other urban institutions to increase the number of underrepresented groups actively involved in environmental research. This collaborative effort will reinforce the commitment of the mentors and the educational philosophy of our institution to NSF-funded research and education of students who are underrepresented in environmental biology.
