REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Archaeological and Museum Conservation Science at the Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute

智力优势：史密森尼博物馆保护研究所（MCI）建立了一个REU计划，为考古学和博物馆保护科学跨学科领域的本科生提供令人兴奋和具有挑战性的研究经验，帮助他们为未来的科学职业做好准备。该计划旨在加强传统的课堂教育，缺乏一个“动手”的组成部分，在MCI的七个项目领域之一指导实验室研究。学生参与正在进行的研究项目的各个方面，或提出自己独特的项目。在这样做的过程中，他们获得基本的实验室技能，并在工作人员导师的直接监督下深入了解科学方法。学生接受专业介绍和职业和研究生院选择的培训，并酌情包括在共同撰写的同行评审的出版物和科学会议上的专业演讲中。学生是从积极性很高的本科申请者中挑选出来的，重点是代表性不足的少数民族。MCI是一个完善的和多样化的研究所，其基础设施，人员和资源能够支持这一计划。所有MCI导师都有为本科生提供研究机会的经验，并且通过史密森尼教育和博物馆研究中心已经建立了招募和处理学生实习生的基础设施。更广泛的影响：该计划的基本目标是教育和培训本科生，他们利用MCI独特的跨学科经验获得研究生学位，并成为专业科学家。学生根据他们的共同兴趣与工作人员导师一起放置，并参与项目的各个方面，包括规划，执行分析，数据分析和制定结论。学生贡献他们的结果同行评审的出版物，并在追求研究生的任命协助。由于所有学生实习生都在外部大学就读，因此该计划与全国各地的机构建立了合作伙伴关系，并为学生提供了在既定研究小组中的实践实验室经验。申请通过NSF REU网站和更大的史密森尼实习计划征集。史密森学会内的几个既定的少数民族项目为招募代表性不足的年轻科学家群体提供了额外的场所。

Intellectual Merit:The Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute (MCI) has established an REU program that provides exciting and challenging research experiences for undergraduate students in the interdisciplinary fields of archeology and museum conservation science to help them prepare for future careers in science. The program serves to enhance traditional classroom education that lacks a 'hands-on' component with mentored laboratory research in one of seven MCI project areas. Students engage in aspects of ongoing research projects or propose their own unique project. In so doing they acquire basic laboratory skills and an in depth understanding of the scientific method under the immediate supervision of a staff mentor. Students receive training in professional presentation and career and graduate school selection, and are included, as appropriate, in co-authored peer-reviewed publications and professional presentations at scientific meetings. Students are selected from a pool of highly motivated undergraduate applicants with an emphasis on under-represented minorities. MCI is a a well established and diverse institute with the infrastructure, staff, and resources capable of supporting this program. All MCI mentors have experience providing undergraduates with research opportunities and an infrastructure to recruit and process student interns is already in place through the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies.Broader Impacts: The fundamental goal of this program is the education and training of undergraduate students who utilize their unique interdisciplinary experience at MCI to achieve graduate degrees and establish themselves as professional scientists. Students are placed with a staff mentor according to their mutual interests and participate in all aspects of a project including planning, execution of analyses, data analysis, and formulating conclusions. Students contribute their results to a peer-reviewed publication and are assisted in pursuing graduate appointments. Insofar as all student interns are enrolled in external universities, this program establishes partnerships with institutions across the country and provides their students with hands-on laboratory experience in an established research group. Applications are solicited through the NSF REU Sites website and the larger Smithsonian Internship Program. Several established minority programs within the Smithsonian Institution provide additional venues to recruit underrepresented groups of young scientists.