URM: The watershed as a model for improving minority, graduate student success in Biology.

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AbstractBuffalo State College's URM program will recruit nine undergraduate students each year for four years and provide them with research and training experiences to succeed in graduate school in the biological sciences, with special emphasis in aquatic biology. The goals of this URM project are to increase undergraduate diversity representation in, and post-baccalaureate success of, biology majors. Eleven faculty members from four departments will provide mentoring support and expertise within our theme of understanding aquatic-terrestrial linkages in mixed-use watersheds". Two key facilities, the Buffalo State Great Lakes Field Station near the intersection of Lake Erie and the Buffalo and Niagara Rivers, and the Point Peter Brook instrumented watershed, will allow us to use a paired watershed approach to investigate drivers of change. Students will be recruited into the program as juniors. The students and their faculty mentors will populate a new Watershed Institute and participate in a 2-year research experience. Major activities of student participants include a week-long watershed assessment workshop held at biological field station, intensive field experience aboard the R\V Aquarius, a 3-course sequence, and travel to and presentation of research results at regional and national conferences. The courses will provide training in career exploration, biostatistics and experimental design, GRE preparation, writing and communication. All of the faculty mentors have prior experience with underrepresented minority students and have or are currently conducting research within our target watersheds. More information is available at http://www.buffalostate.edu/ biology/urm.xml.