REU Site: Plant Genomics at Michigan State University

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An award has been made to Michigan State University that will provide research training for 10 weeks for 10 students, during the summers of 2011-2013. This program is supported by the Divisions of Biological Infrastructure (DBI) and Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) through the Plant Genome Research Program. Students recruited to the program in summer 2010 will be supported by the institution using various funding sources. Students will engage in mentored research projects in groups -- studying plant genomics and genetics, biochemistry, chemistry and computational biology. Students will participate full time in the program, and engage in weekly presentations by faculty (describing their research programs), and seminars and discussions on the responsible conduct of research and societal issues associated with agricultural biotechnology. Students will receive training in professional presentation and career and graduate school selection. These activities will be structured to increase each student's ability to think critically and conduct biological research. Each student will become engaged in an aspect of an ongoing research project and will acquire basic lab skills and an in depth understanding of the scientific method under the immediate supervision of a faculty mentor. The students will also benefit from mentoring by a postdoctoral associate or senior graduate student. Students will be selected from a pool of highly motivated junior and senior applicants with an emphasis on individuals from minority serving and primarily undergraduate institutions from across the country. The goal is to have cohorts of students from diverse backgrounds, geographies and types of institutions. The program will be assessed with an entry questionnaire (evaluating participant expectations and preparation), as well as an exit interview aimed at establishing students' appraisal of the improvement in their research skills, their confidence in the laboratory, their understanding of the scientific method, and their awareness of the process of scientific progress and discovery. A common web-based assessment tool (used by other REU programs) will also be used. Student progress in their career path will be tracked using a Facebook group and by email. Information about the project can be obtained from the PI, Dr. Robert L. Last (lastr@msu.edu; 517-432-3278) and at the program website: http://plantgenomics.msu.edu/.