REU Site: The Plant-Microbe Interface: A Summer Undergraduate Research Program

德州农工大学（Texas a&m University）获得了一项奖励，该奖励将在2011-2013年夏季为10名本科生提供为期10周的研究培训。该计划侧重于植物-微生物界面，并以学生主导的生物能源，植物病害，食品安全和保障以及农业可持续性方面的独立研究项目为特色。通过参与这些研究经验，学生学习基本的生物学研究方法和批判性思维。植物病理学与微生物学系有12名教师参与该计划。学生们需要进行全职的实验室研究，并参加研讨会和午餐，其中包括专业交流、研究伦理和合规以及研究生院申请过程等主题。学生还需要参加GRE预备课程。学生可以参观德克萨斯农工大学的各种研究设施，并有机会获得丰富的研究资源，光学和电子显微镜，下一代DNA测序，质谱等。招收的学生都是来自全国各地少数民族和非少数民族大学的大三和大四的学生。描述REU的传单被分发到生物、化学和生物化学系，小册子通过农业、自然资源和相关科学少数民族协会、奇卡诺人和美洲原住民科学促进会和少数民族学生年度生物医学研究会议分发。学生的选择是基于学习成绩、研究表现和在生物科学领域的杰出研究潜力。跟踪学生，以确定他们对学术研究领域的持续兴趣，他们的职业道路，以及研究经历的持久影响。有关该计划的信息将通过各种方式进行评估，包括使用REU通用评估工具。该计划将产生持久的影响，包括：(a)在土地赠款大学、西班牙裔服务机构、历史上的黑人学院和大学以及德克萨斯州以外的其他机构之间建立新的合作和互动；(b)促进本科生研究；(c)培训来自不同人口的新一代科学领袖；(d)推进植物-微生物界面研究的基础知识体系。更多信息请访问http://plantpathology.tamu.edu/（点击暑期项目）或联系PI （Carlos F. Gonzalez博士，cf-gonzalez@tamu.edu）或副PI （Paul J. de Figueiredo博士，pjdefigueiredo@tamu.edu）。

An award has been made to Texas A&M University that provides research training for 10 weeks for 10 undergraduate students, for the summers of 2011-2013. The program focuses on the plant-microbe interface, and features student-led independent research projects in bioenergy, plant disease, food safety and security, and agricultural sustainability. By participating in these research experiences, students learn fundamental biological research methods and critical thinking. The Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology has 12 faculty participating in the program. Students are expected to perform full-time laboratory research as well as participate in seminars and brown-bag-lunches in which topics including professional communication, research ethics and compliance, and the graduate school application process, are addressed. Students also participate in a GRE preparation course. Students are provided tours of diverse research facilities at Texas A&M University, and have access to a rich array of research resources, light and electron microscopy, next generation DNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, etc. Student recruits are highly motivated rising junior and senior undergraduate students from minority- and non-minority-serving universities from across the country. Flyers describing the REU are distributed to biology, chemistry, and biochemistry departments, and pamphlets are distributed through The Society for Minorities in Agriculture Natural Resources and Related Sciences, Society for the Advancement of Chicanos & Native Americans in Science, and at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students. Students are selected based on academic record, research performance, and potential for outstanding research in the biological sciences. Students are tracked to determine their continued interest in their academic field of study, their career paths, and the lasting influences of the research experience. Information about the program will be assessed by various means, including use of an REU common assessment tool. The program will have long-lasting impacts related to (a) establishing novel collaborations and interaction between a Land Grant University, Hispanic-Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other institutions outside of Texas; (b) promoting undergraduate research; (c) training a new generation of scientific leaders from diverse populations; and (d) advancing the fundamental body of knowledge in plant-microbe interface research. More information is available by visiting http://plantpathology.tamu.edu/ (Click on Summer Program) or by contacting the PI (Dr. Carlos F. Gonzalez at cf-gonzalez@tamu.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Paul J. de Figueiredo at pjdefigueiredo@tamu.edu).