REU Site: Practices and Perspectives

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This award by the Chemistry a Division supports Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) and Research Experience for Teachers (RET) sites at Virginia Commonwealth University for the summers of 2006-2008. The program director is Suzanne Ruder who is assisted by co-PI Sally Hunnicutt. Ten students will participate in the REU program that begins with a three-day training period teaching basic skills common to all scientific research, and developing the perspectives and career planning components. Full-time research begins after this three-day period. Development of the perspectives component continues with regular meetings and presentations from faculty and from local industrial collaborators. The students oral and written communication skills are developed throughout the program by completing a written proposal, revising their personal statements submitted as part of their application and preparing and presenting a poster of their work at the halfway point and an oral presentation for the final symposium. Written reports of the students research results are also submitted at the conclusion of the program. Four teachers from area Public Schools will also participate in a seven-week RET program, doing research in faculty labs. The RET program includes two teachers who participated in the previous summers program and two teachers recommended by the returning teachers. Teachers join in all REU activities, write a research proposal and give halfway-point and final presentations on their research. Teachers in the RET program receive serial interface boxes, measurement probes, and data acquisition software for their schools. The Mathematics and Physical Sciences Directorate Office of Multidisciplinary Affairs provides support for the RET component of this site.