This award, made to Johns Hopkins University, is supported by the NSF Directorate for Biological Sciences. Johns Hopkins University will provide research training for 10 weeks for 10 students for summers 2010-2012. The organizing scientific theme for this intense and immersive research program is the application of imaging and structural techniques to achieve better understanding of biological systems. In the course of pursuing a research project, students will be exposed to reading scientific literature, designing experiments and controls, learning various experimental techniques, and collecting and analyzing data. In addition, students will engage in activities designed to improve oral and written communication skills as they build a sense of community. Students will be instructed in research ethics and the responsible conduct of research and will be expected to conduct their research accordingly. Participants will be recruited nationally through the NSF REU website, informational booths at SACNAS and ABRCMS meetings, and contacts at various institutions across the country and in US territories, in addition to the program website. Students having limited research opportunities at their home institutions, or belonging to groups underrepresented in academics will be especially encouraged to apply. Selection will be based on recommendation letters, grades, and a statement of career goals. Following the program, participants will be contacted annually to determine their progress toward a degree, their career plans, and enrollment in graduate or professional school. Outcomes of the program will be determined using an NSF-supported assessment tool. Information about the program may be obtained from the director, Joel Schildbach (phone: 410-516-0176; e-mail: joel@jhu.edu), or at the program web site (www.bio.jhu.edu/sure).
," was awarded to Johns Hopkins University to fund an undergraduate research program during the summers of 2010-2012. The organizing intellectual theme is the use of advanced imaging techniques (microscopy, NMR and X-ray crystallography) to gain insight into the activities of biological molecules. Over these three summers, 30 undergraduate students pursued research projects for 10 weeks in the labs of faculty associated with the Cellular, Molecular, Developmental Biology and Biophysics graduate program at Johns Hopkins. Participants were selected based on performance in undergraduate classes, letters of recommendation, and responses to essay questions about interest in research and future goals. Students were not required to have any research experience, and a special effort was made to include students from schools that do not have many research opportunities. Of the 30 participants, 20 came from colleges and universities that do not grant Ph.D. degrees, including 3 from community colleges. Three were rising sophomores, 15 were rising juniors, and 12 were rising seniors. The participants included one nontraditional student (over 30 years of age) and one veteran. The program focused on improving participants' communication skills, and included student oral presentations, both with and without slides, as well as preparation and presentation of a poster in a program-culminating poster session. Activities also included discussions of responsible conduct of research and science policy, and a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet with lawmakers and congressional and administration staffers. The program was designed to provide participants an opportunity to develop the skills and confidence to pursue independent research and careers in science. Anonymous surveys conducted at the end of each summer indicate that participants perceive substantial gains in both skills and confidence. In addition, the large majority of students have continued in research, pursuing independent projects. And despite the fact that many participants have not yet graduated, at least one third of the participants are enrolled in Ph.D. or M.D./Ph.D. programs or are currently applying to Ph.D. programs.
