This URM collaborative program at Lincoln University, a Historically Black University located in southeastern Pennsylvania, will provide research and mentoring experiences in environmental biology for talented African-American undergraduates with the ultimate goal of developing their interests in pursuing a postgraduate education in biology and environmental science. The two year program for each student is designed to utilize the appeal of summer field work in marine biology at the collaborating institution- College of Marine and Earth Studies of the University of Delaware (on Delaware Bay and the Atlantic Ocean) to engage the students' interests in biological research. Through this program, the participants will develop an understanding of the important societal contributions that can be made by environmental scientists to better manage ecosystems that are heavily impacted by human activities. The students in this program will receive intensive training in scientific research that will include: (1) a research methods course; (2) an extensive research experience; (3) a seminar course; (4) a journal club; (5) the opportunity to present and publish research results and (6) GRE preparation. The students will be chosen from among the second year undergraduate biology and environmental science majors at Lincoln University based on their career interests, academic achievements, and recommendations from faculty at Lincoln. Students who eventually complete graduate degrees and are employed in industry, government or academia will serve as role models to further stimulate interest in these careers among African-American undergraduate students. More information is available at: http://icewater.cms.udel.edu/urm/.
The "Biology of an Urbanized Estuary" was a collaborative project between Lincoln University, a small Historically Black College/University (HBCU), and the University of Delaware, a research institution. The program was designed to introduce African-American college students to ecological research and to encourage them to continue their education in graduate school through a program of mentored research. The students who participated in the program were chosen from among Environmental Science and Biology majors at Lincoln based on interest, academic achievement, recommendations from faculty, and willingness to commit to the program. The students chosen for the program took a research methods course prior to their first summer of research at the University of Delaware; for their research, some students were on the main campus at the Delaware Biotechnology Institute while others were at the Sharp Campus (School of Marine Science and Policy) in Lewes, DE. The research topics included (1) invasive species; (2) harmful algal blooms; (3) microbial metabolism in an impacted carbon cycle; (4) embryo development in stressful environments; and (5) fish ecology in low oxygen environments. The students returned for a second summer at the University of Delaware after continuing their research at Lincoln during the intervening academic year. The students then presented their research results at symposia at the University of Delaware and Lincoln University. Overall, the program was successful in exposing Lincoln students to environmental research, and as they shared their research with other students, interest grew. This has resulted in more majors in the Environmental Science major at Lincoln, the establishment of an Environmental Club at Lincoln, and a new course in Microbial Ecology that has attracted a large number of Environmental Science and Biology majors. The research begun by some of the students in the area of microbial ecology will continue at Lincoln beyond the grant’s tenure using the equipment and supplies purchased through the grant. The research also served as a catalyst to seek funding to establish a Center for Integrative Environmental Studies at Lincoln. Last, the students who participated in the program have been successful, with most of them going to or planning to attend graduate school.
