This award provides funds to Oklahoma State University to continue their REU SITE. The program will include fourteen participant projects, four locally-funded, all concerned with the understanding and improving of green plant performance through enhancement of growth conditions. The methods of study will involve a variety of approaches from the fields of plant physiology and structure, plant pathology, agronomy, forestry, ecology and biochemistry. A brief orientation will be concerned with philosophy of literature survey, report writing and presentation of results. Each participant works with a research advisor. Project planning and reading of background material occur before the participants arrive. Group progress meetings are held throughout the program focusing on problem areas and successes. Participants visit each other's labs, discuss their projects and work with research assistants, graduate students, and post-doctoral personnel as well as the advisor. Post program follow-up efforts will include presentation of results to biology and science clubs in participants' home schools, state collegiate academies of science and publication in appropriate journals.
