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

神经科学研究目前正在提供有关神经细胞和神经元回路的详细信息。 然而，这些数据在整个神经系统功能的背景下最有效地解释：有机体行为。 伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校（UIC）在文科学院成立了一个新的单位，以促进与对生物体行为的理解相结合的神经系统研究。 这个新的神经单元-综合神经科学实验室-将协调UIC的一组教师运行一个REU网站程序，将介绍本科生对大脑组织，感觉统合和行为的研究。 有了这个修订后的建议，我们寻求扩大我们的暑期研究参与本科生的试点计划，建立一个REU网站在芝加哥。 正如过去两个夏天所做的那样，来自不同机构的本科生将被邀请到UIC学习神经和行为生物学，并与我们的教师和学生一起沿着进行原创性研究。我们的目标是让本科生，特别是女性和少数民族成员，有机会在社会支持的环境中体验研究。 该计划将持续两个月，每年夏天。 第一周包括神经和行为生物学原理的迷你课程。 在接下来的七周内，学生将在参与教师的实验室进行个人研究项目。 学员将在最后一次研讨会上介绍他们的成果。 经验将通过纳入研究伦理的演示/讨论，并通过使用新颖的数据可视化工具的学生曝光丰富。 该计划将为学员提供具体研究技术的实践经验，但同样重要的是，它将向学生介绍研究和教学作为一种职业。 从两个试验暑期项目，涉及八名学生，收集的数据，包括记录我们的努力和成功，促进这种类型的研究。

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.