Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Summer Undergraduate Research Program

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ABSTRACT Michael Hengartner Proposal # DBI - 9912220To encourage the development of young scientists in the field of biology, the Undergraduate Research Program at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory has, since 1959, annually sponsored between ten to twenty-five undergraduates from throughout the United States for an intensive ten-week long summer research experience. The students are housed on grounds and each one is assigned to a permanent Laboratory staff member to perform an independent research project in the mentor's fieldof expertise. Each student begins his or her project with the advisor's close guidance and is subsequently encouraged to work independently. This allows students to develop to their full potential and to sample first hand the excitement of experimental science. During the program the students present two series of seminars, one in which the students describe their proposed research and a final series in which the results of each project are summarized. There is also a series of seminars by Laboratory staff specifically for the undergraduates in addition to daily lectures given as part of the Laboratory series of post-graduate biology courses. This undergraduate research program is very oversubscribed and, therefore, focuses its selection on individuals who, with proper direction, are likely to make a contribution to science in their ensuing careers. Strong emphasis is placed on recruiting underrepresented minorities to encourage them to pursue scientific careers. The success of the program is evidenced by the number of past participants who have become eminent scientists.