REU Site: Biological Adaptation to Stress -- Molecular, Cellular, Ecological

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This REU Site award to Pepperdine University, located in Malibu, CA, will support the training of 8 students for 11 weeks during the summers of 2016- 2019. Research opportunities associated with the program range from cellular to organismal systems, and students will have access to state of the art equipment and computer systems essential for such research. The primary goals of the program include the following: 1) provide training in the application of the scientific method; 2) involve students in collaborative and interdisciplinary research; 3) expose students to the overall enterprise of science as it relates to the design and implementation of a research project; 4) develop skills in scientific communication; 5) provide students with training in ethical decision-making as it relates to science; 6) train students in various forms of scientific communication; and 7) foster an appreciation for career opportunities in the life sciences as well as training in preparation for graduate school. In collaboration with a faculty mentor, each student will be encouraged to design a research project that interfaces with ongoing research at Pepperdine. This research will involve a mixture of lab and field-based activities and will culminate with a student symposium that includes both oral presentations and a poster session. Over four years of funding, the program will award NSF fellowships to a total of 32 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities and from underrepresented populations. Student recruitment is primarily web-based but includes direct communication with undergraduate-serving institutions with high enrollment of underrepresented groups. Several factors are considered important for student selection, including academic record, letters of reference, student interest in obtaining an advanced career in science, and diversity. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Program success will be assessed using a common web-based assessment tool used by all REU programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) as well as specific tools developed within the Pepperdine program. Follow-through of the REU program will include presentations at regional and national meetings. For more information about the program, students can visit the website (https://seaver.pepperdine.edu/surb/) where they can apply online. In addition, students can contact the PI (Dr. Jay Brewster at jay.brewster@pepperdine.edu). This REU site is co-funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences), and the Division of Mathematical Sciences (Directorate for Mathematical & Physical Sciences).