This award provides funds to The Center for Biology at the University of Wisconsin - Madison to support a summer program which provides research opportunities to talented minority undergraduates in cellular and molecular biology. Ten students will be recruited nationwide in order to encourage and prepare them for graduate studies.. UW-Madison will sponsor 4 additional students, bringing the total involvement to 14. Building on expertise gained from three previous summer programs for minority undergraduates, prospective faculty mentors and program staff will provide an environment designed to foster critical thinking, creative problem solving, and productive research skills. Twenty-four committed faculty (18 having mentored in previous summers) will lead in the design, planning, implementation and evaluation of the summer program. The core of the program lies in individual, independent research experiences under the mentorship of faculty members with shared research interests in cellular and molecular biology. Research experiences will be augmented by a seminar/workshop series to promote growth as independent researchers and prepare students for graduate study. The capstone experience will be a symposium in which students formally present research results to colleagues and faculty. The program will integrate multicultural and social activities, which are vital for providing the students with a productive, enjoyable and satisfying summer research experience.
