An award has been made to the University of Chicago that will provide research training for 10 weeks for 8 students, during the summers of 2011-2013. The program focuses on cellular and molecular biology, that is, understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying the organization, development and mechanics of all living organisms. The Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, which is hosting the program, has about 20 faculty members participating as mentors. The projects available in their laboratories are wide-ranging but all are focused on cutting edge research, using a variety of model organisms including viruses, bacteria, yeast, protozoa, fruitflies, plants, and nematode worms, and involving both biological manipulation and observation, and mathematical modeling. Students will engage in full-time lab research as well as participate in seminars and focused workshops on responsible conduct in research, on how to prepare for advanced training in biological sciences, and on professional communication skills including an intensive series of workshops on scientific writing. REU students have access to the individual mentor's facilities as well as many core facilities such as advanced light microscopy, electron microscopy and tomography, next-generation DNA sequencing, and flow cytometry. Students will be recruited to the program, particularly from disadvantaged groups, by extensive nationwide advertising, including through established informal collaborative agreements with a variety of undergraduate colleges. Students are selected based on academic record and potential for outstanding research. Students are tracked to determine their continued interest in their academic field of study, their career paths, and the lasting influences of the research experience. Information about the program will be assessed by various means, including use of an REU common assessment tool. More information is available by visiting http://mgcb.bsd.uchicago.edu/reu/ , or by contacting the PI (Dr. Aaron Turkewitz at apturkew@uchicago.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Lucia Rothman-Denes at lbrd@uchicago.edu).
. The program was targeted toward promising undergraduates interested in pursuing graduate work in the biological sciences, but who had limited access to advanced research laboratories because they attended institutions without such programs. Among these, the program focused on students from underrepresented minorities, low income families, or families with no history of pursuing higher education. The core of the program was a 10-week intensive research experience, in which the students were assigned to individual laboratories where they worked under the close supervision of graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, or faculty. The students met weekly with faculty to discuss their research progress. There were also weekly presentations by faculty to illustrate the wide variety of biological problems and experimental approaches that are being pursued. The program included training in preparing posters and in oral presentation, ending in a departmental symposium. There were also workshops on applying to graduate schools, ethics and laboratory safety, and social activities to promote interactions between the students and between students and faculty. Our REU program allowed undergraduates from institutions with limited research opportunities, and particularly minority and disadvantaged students, to engage in an intense summer of research in laboratories doing cutting edge research in molecular, developmental, and cellular biology, and to experience the vibrant intellectual community of a premier research-oriented university. All activities were designed to bridge the difference between education at the undergraduate and graduate levels, to introduce and excite students about the possibilities of graduate work in biological sciences, and to provide them with the experience to make informed decisions about pursuing graduate training. Over the three year period, we hosted a total of 25 students, chosen from more than 550 complete applications that we received. Our active recruitment efforts resulted in a highly diverse and talented group, including 6 minority men (2 African American, 2 Hispanic, and 2 Native American), 3 minority women (1 African American, 2 Hispanic), 8 students from low income families, and 8 students who were the first in their families to attend college. To judge the impact of the program, we tracked the students afterward. As demonstrated by this tracking, we appear to have significantly impacted a population of students that may only consider pursuing a career in the sciences upon intensive encouragement and training. In addition, based on the past students’ comments, we instilled a passion for research in this field. Although the MGCB REU program has been in place for only 3 years, the trajectory as well as the comments from interns in the first two years indicate that we are being successful (more than we ever expected) in accomplishing our goals.
