This REU program is centered on a yearlong internship housed in a cognitive science research laboratory. Each year eleven undergraduate students work on a research project under the supervision of a faculty mentor, and participate in a seminar and group activities that support the development of the students' research skills and career interests. Intellectual Merit - The REU project targets promising undergraduate students from diverse social and economic backgrounds, and provides an opportunity to experience first hand research in cognitive science or in one of its related disciplines. The goal is to awaken an interest in and an appreciation for cognitive science, in particular, and the scientific approach in general. Students choose to base their two-semester experience in one of the following research laboratories: Bioinformatics, Perception, Cognition, Social Psychology, Neuroscience, Virtual Reality. During the yearlong program, each student is responsible for completing a research project and presenting the results at a research conference. Broader Impact - Applicants are recruited during the spring semester from sophomores and juniors enrolled in colleges and universities in the Charlotte metropolitan area. Students who show genuine interest in research through their course performance but who may not necessarily be thinking about careers in science and technology are encouraged to apply as are members of racial or ethnic minority groups, persons with disabilities and first-generation college students.
