Conference: Enhancing Biological Science Research Opportunities at Primarily Undergraduate Institutions; July 26-28, 2012; Fullerton, CA

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Intellectual Merit. Authentic research experiences for biochemistry and biological science majors are essential for student growth and development of technical, critical thinking, and communication skills, providing the stimulus for better student retention, graduation rates, applications to graduate school, and high quality careers. A large percentage of students receive their undergraduate training at diverse Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUI); from small private liberal arts colleges to large public comprehensive universities. Therefore it is vital that we maintain and improve student research training at PUIs. While there are many successful research programs at PUIs, there are also numerous challenges in establishing and maintaining undergraduate research, including higher teaching loads for faculty at PUIs and deficiencies in personnel, infrastructure and resources. This conference will bring together, for the first time at a national level, diverse PIs to meet and discuss ideas and best practices and future prospects in building and sustaining research, crafting competitive grant proposals, integrating research into the curriculum, forging research partnerships and collaborations, and accurately assessing student research training outcomes. One product of the workshop will be a report that will inform NSF BIO and the greater scientific community of successes, needs, and future prospects for PUIs.The workshop is planned for seventy, which includes invited participants, administrators, program directors, industrial and academic partners, students, and facilitators. A unique feature of the workshop is the inclusion of the company Knowinnovation to assist in the design, development, and facilitation of the workshop using deliberate Creative Problem Solving (CPS) methodology.Broader Impacts. A diverse mix of PIs will be invited from a variety of institution types, including many Assistant Professors as well as faculty from minority serving institutions, which will provide the variety of outlooks and perspective essential for exploring the problem space and finding solutions. The format will allow for early career faculty to link with mentors for advice and potential collaborations. This workshop and website will provide a continuing opportunity for PUI PIs to network with each other as well as NSF staff and other stakeholders in a way that enhances efforts in undergraduate research.