Reed College has been selected as one of ten recipients of the National Science Foundation's Awards for the Integration of Research and Education. The College has been committed to the integration of research and education since its inception. This commitment has been reaffirmed throughout the curriculum, beginning with investigative experiences in introductory laboratory courses and culminating with the College's mandatory year-long senior thesis, which must involve collaborative research with a faculty member. Along with the senior thesis, the mandatory comprehensive junior qualifying examination is another crucial element of Reed's approach to the integration of research and education.
The College's efforts to integrate research and education were designed with the following outcomes: providing support for faculty as both scientists and teachers; promoting student-faculty collaboration in actual scientific research; integrating research into the curriculum at every level, from introductory courses through the senior thesis, and providing the appropriate physical infrastructure support to facilitate research and teaching.
Reed College is being awarded $500,000 to advance institutional goals of integrating research and education, document and disseminate information of its exemplary activities, and expand the integration of research and education by conducting outreach activities over the coming three years. To enhance their successful program, the institution will establish an innovative Undergraduate Research Mentor Program focusing on peer-mentoring to supplement activities of faculty by helping develop research skills for students who are "new" to science. This novel and potential effective model will attract talented students to academic careers and engage them early in the scientific enterprise.
