UMEB: Mentoring Undergraduate Research in Conservation Biology and Ecology

新奥尔良大学的Pamela O'Neil博士获得了一笔拨款，用于开发一项本科生研究计划，旨在增加环境生物学中代表性不足的群体的参与。拟议中的计划有几个具体目标。首先，我们想让来自UNO代表性不足群体的学生接触到广泛的环境生物学方法，以便他们意识到现有机会的多样性。其次，我们将为学生提供多样化的榜样，让他们在不那么正式的环境中接触到，而不是在课堂上。第三，我们将提供持续两年或更长时间的逐步发展经验，以建立信心。环境生物学本科指导（UMEB）奖将使我们能够满足所有三个目标，并提供独特的环境生物学研究培训经验。学生体验将包括第一年的介绍性研讨会，旨在让学生接触到广泛的可能的研究经验、榜样和科学研究方法，以及研究工具课程，旨在为任何研究经验提供必要的基本工具箱。项目第二年的学生将直接参与一个独立的研究项目，还将参加每周与UMEB顾问、研究生和本科生研究人员的小组会议。在完成研究年度后，UMEB参与者将以口头和书面形式展示他们的结果。可选的第三年课程将允许希望继续在同一领域或不同领域进行研究的特殊学生能够继续深造。我们的最终目标是通过为研究生院做准备，增加来自代表性不足群体的学生在环境生物学领域的就业人数。我们UMEB项目的研究主题以保护生物学为中心。UNO的生物系有一个保护生物学的博士项目，并且集中了在这个或密切相关领域进行研究的教师。我们的导师的研究专长包括保护遗传学、保护生态学、种群生物学、生态系统生态学、生理生态学和环境生物学的分子方法。拟议的UMEB计划预计将对培训代表性不足的少数民族以及由此产生的高质量研究的智力价值产生明显的更广泛的影响。

A grant has been awarded to Dr. Pamela O'Neil at the University of New Orleans to develop an undergraduate research program designed to increase the participation of underrepresented groups in environmental biology. There are several specific goals of the proposed program. First, we would like to expose students from underrepresented groups at UNO to a broad range of approaches to environmental biology so that they are aware of the diversity of opportunities that are available. Second, we will provide a diversity of role models that the students will be exposed to in settings that are less formal than students experience in a classroom. Third, we will provide a stepwise developmental experience lasting two or more years that is structured to build confidence. The Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB) award will allow us to meet all 3 goals and to provide a unique research training experience in environmental biology.The student experience will include a first year introductory seminar designed to expose students to a broad range of possible research experiences, role models, and approaches to doing science as well as a Research Tools course designed to provide a basic toolbox necessary for any research experience. The second year of the program students will become directly involved in an independent research project and will also participate in weekly group meetings with UMEB advisors, graduate students and undergraduate researchers. After completing the research year, UMEB participants will present their results in both oral and written format. An optional third year of the program will allow exceptional students who wish to continue to do research in the same area or a different area to be able to continue at an advanced level. Our ultimate goal is to increase the number of students from under-represented groups pursuing careers in environmental biology by preparing students for graduate school.The research theme of our UMEB program is centered on conservation biology. The Biology Department at UNO has a Ph.D. program in conservation biology and a concentration of faculty who are conducting research in this or closely related areas. The research expertise of our mentors includes conservation genetics, conservation ecology, population biology, ecosystem ecology, physiological ecology, and molecular approaches to environmental biology. The proposed UMEB program is expected to have clear broader impacts of training under-represented minorities as well as intellectual merit in the high quality research that will result.