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

神经科学研究目前正在提供关于神经细胞和神经元回路的更详细的信息。然而，这些数据在整个神经系统的功能：有机体行为的背景下被解释得最有用。伊利诺伊大学芝加哥分校(UIC)在文理学院成立了一个新的单位，以促进对神经系统的研究，将神经系统与对生物行为的理解结合在一起。这个新的神经单位--整合神经科学实验室--将协调一组UIC教员运行REU现场项目，该项目将向本科生介绍大脑组织、感觉整合和行为的研究。通过这项修订提案，我们寻求通过在芝加哥建立一个REU站点来扩大我们针对本科生的暑期研究参与试点项目。就像过去两个夏天的小规模做法一样，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，并与我们的教职员工和学生一起进行原创性研究。我们的目标是让本科生，特别是女性和少数族裔成员，有机会在一个社会支持的环境中体验研究。该计划每年夏天将持续两个月。第一周包括一门关于神经和行为生物学原理的小型课程。在接下来的七周里，学生们将在参与的教员的实验室中进行个人研究项目。受训者将在最后一次研讨会上展示他们的成果。通过包括关于研究伦理的演讲/讨论，以及向学生介绍使用新的数据可视化工具，将丰富这一经验。该项目将为学员提供具体研究技术的实践经验，但同样重要的是，它将向学生介绍作为一种专业的研究和教学。从两个实验暑期项目中收集的数据，涉及8名学生，包括记录我们在促进这类研究方面的努力和成功。

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.