REU Site: Summer Intensive Research Experiences in Neuroscience (SIREN)

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This REU Site award to the University of Michigan (UM), located in Ann Arbor, MI, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2019-2021. This Site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. The scientific theme of the REU Site is interdisciplinary neuroscience, a hallmark of the UM Neuroscience Graduate Program. Participants will conduct independent research in one or more of the following subdisciplines: behavioral, cognitive, cell/molecular, developmental, sensory, translational, and computational neuroscience. In addition, students will engage in weekly workshops and journal clubs focused on current topics in neuroscience, research ethics, and research skills. Also, students will participate in a weekly improv course designed to build confidence, incorporate wit, and develop agility in public speaking. Eligible participants include undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents majoring in a STEM discipline. Priority will be given to students from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups. The program also seeks to expand diversity and inclusion toward students with disabilities, and through a partnership with the National Technical Institute of the Deaf, encourages applications from deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Acceptance will be based on academic record, strength of recommendations, personal statements, and expression of a sincere interest in pursuing a research career. All participants will receive housing, meal and travel allowances and a stipend.It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will learn the fundamentals of scientific research through hands-on training, with the goal of presenting their results at scientific conferences. The coordinated workshops and innovative training exercises will prepare students for successful, long-term scientific career, both within and outside of academia.The web-based assessment tool URSSA, used by all BIO-funded REU Site programs, will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Additional survey instruments will be used to evaluate program activities and track program alumni to assess retention in neuroscience and broader STEM disciplines. More information about the program is available by visiting: https://neuroscience.med.umich.edu/reu-site or by contacting the PI (Dr. R. Keith Duncan at rkduncan@umich.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Shelly Flagel at sflagel@umich.edu).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.