REU SITE: Undergraduate Research in Brain, Sensory Systems and Behavior

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Neuroscience Research currently is providing much detailed information about nerve cells and neuronal circuits. However, these data are most usefully interpreted in the context of the function of whole nervous systems: organismal behavior. The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) has formed a new unit in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences to promote studies of neural systems that are integrated with an understanding of organismal behavior. This new unit neural -the Laboratory of Integrative Neuroscience - will coordinate a group of UIC faculty in running an REU site program that will introduce undergraduates to research on brain organization, sensory integration and behavior. With this revised proposal we seek to expand our pilot program of summer research involvement for undergraduates by establishing an REU site in Chicago. As has been done in a small scale for the last two summers, undergraduates from a diverse group of institutions will be invited to UIC to study neural and behavioral biology and to conduct original research along with our faculty and students.Our goal is to give undergraduate, especially women and members of underrepresented minority groups, an opportunity to experience research in a socially supportive environment. The Program will last for two months each summer. The first week includes a mini-course on principles of neural and behavioral biology. During the following seven weeks students will conduct individual research projects in the laboratories of participating faculty. Trainees will present their results at a final symposium. The experience will be enriched by inclusion of presentations/discussions on research ethics, and by exposure of students of use of novel data visualization tools. The Program will give trainees hands-on experience with specific research techniques, but equally important it will introduce the students to research and teaching as a profession. Data collected from two trial summer programs, involving eight students, are included to document our effort and success in promoting this type of research.