The REU Site at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) will provide a research program for undergraduates during the summers of 2009-2011, through support provided by the Directorates for Biological Sciences (BIO), Mathematical and Physical Sciences (MPS), and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). Six students will be selected to participate in a 10-week research program in bioinformatics. The REU program is part of a larger summer Undergraduate Research Program (URP) at CSHL, providing an opportunity for students to learn about bioinformatics and computational biology by conducting intensive research under the supervision of a mentor. Students learn about scientific reasoning, laboratory methods, theoretical principles, and scientific communication. In addition to research, participants attend seminars, workshops, panel discussions on careers in science, lectures on ethics, and special events designed specifically for them. At the URP Symposium held at the end of each summer, students present a summary of their research to their peers and advisors. Students also write a final report, similar to a scientific abstract, to describe his or her project. Students are also encouraged to attend advanced courses at CSHL to learn the latest experimental techniques in different fields and to seek advice about their future schooling and research. By the end of the program, students are well equipped to decide whether scientific research is a career they would like to pursue. The program is open to all US citizens or permanent residents, and applications from under-represented minority groups are encouraged. Further information can be obtained by visiting www.cshl.edu/URP/nsf-reu, or contacting the Watson School of Biological Sciences at 516-367-6911 or urpadmin@cshl.edu, or the Program Director, Dr. David Jackson, at jacksond@cshl.org (tel 516-367-8467).
