The proposed program is an integral part of the NUSM's effort to increase the number of disadvantaged students. The effective recruitment of Chicago-area high school students is important to the long-term plan to develop a vertically-integrated life sciences research program for disadvantaged students at Northwestern University (NU). A primary component of this effort is the Summer Research Program (SRP), an eight-week summer research experience. The program also provides opportunities for the participation of local K-12 teachers who can stimulate disadvantaged students to pursue scientific careers. The success of these efforts requires the sustained support of the faculty and staff of the life science departments through programs such as SRP. These researchers/educators are responsible for the development and implementation of the appropriate training and education, along with the recruitment and retention of the student participants. The participants begin the program with an intensive two-week laboratory orientation session that provides practical training in instrumentation and standard laboratory methods. Following the orientation, participants conduct individual laboratory research projects for six weeks, under the supervision of faculty mentors. The research activities will be supplemented by group activities that stimulate interaction and collegiality in the scholarly environment. Students will be assigned to investigators involved in health-related research who are committed to increasing the students' understanding of life science research, along with teaching the necessary technical skills. In addition, the program will provide the students with positive role models that assist them in making career choices in the life sciences. Teachers will be assigned to an investigator who can design a summer research project to update the teachers skills in modern research tools and techniques, and broaden their knowledge of scientific concepts. Each teacher will be provided with the methodology that can be adapted to teaching students and should help them bring the excitement of modern research to their classrooms.
