Collaborative Research: REU Site: Phenotypic plasticity research experience for community college students

位于伊利诺伊州香槟的伊利诺伊大学香槟分校和帕克兰学院获得的REU SITE奖，将在2020-2022年夏季期间支持10名学生为期10周的培训。预计将有30名来自社区大学的学生接受该项目的培训。学生们将在帕克兰参加一个研究培训训练营，然后在伊利诺伊大学完成一个研究项目。该计划将增加社区学院学生参与研究的机会。将通过SALG Urssa在线工具对该方案进行评估。项目结束后，将对学生进行跟踪，以确定他们的进一步教育和最终的职业道路。学生将学习研究是如何进行的，许多人将在科学会议上作为研究海报展示他们的工作结果。学生将进行表型可塑性领域的研究，表型可塑性是指一种基因在不同环境中产生多种表型的能力。来自伊利诺伊大学多个系的教师担任导师。过去项目的例子包括研究压力对线虫神经解剖的作用，臭氧升高对大豆生长的影响，以及父母照顾对鱼类繁殖的影响。报名时间为1月至3月。申请由项目主任和教师导师进行评估。成功的申请包括强有力的推荐信和个人陈述，描述他们参与该项目的动机。该计划于5月下旬开始，首先是一个研究新兵训练营，学生们在那里接受有关导航科学文献、理解研究伦理、科学笔记和选定的科学技术的培训。在研究沉浸部分，学生还参加旨在帮助简化从社区学院到四年制学院或大学的转学过程的活动。其他培训课程包括分析和展示科学数据以及申请研究生院的讲习班。学生们还参加了一项针对当地社区的科学外展计划。有关该计划的更多信息，请访问https://precs.igb.illinois.edu/，或联系PI(NES@illinois.edu内森·施罗德博士)或联合PI(Carlson博士：ccarlson@parkland.edu)。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并已通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This REU Site award to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Parkland College, located in Champaign, IL, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2020-2022. It is anticipated that 30 students from community colleges will be trained in the program. Students will participate in a research training boot-camp at Parkland followed by the completion of a research project at the University of Illinois. The program will increase the participation of community college students in research. Assessment of the program will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their further education and eventual career paths. Students will learn how research is conducted and many will present the results of their work as a research poster at scientific conferences.Students will conduct research in the area of phenotypic plasticity, the ability of one genotype to produce more than one phenotype when exposed to different environments. Faculty from multiple departments at the University of Illinois serve as mentors. Examples of past projects include examining the role of stress on neuroanatomy in nematodes, the effect of elevated ozone on soybean growth, and the impact of parental care on reproduction in fish. Applications are accepted from January until March. Applications are evaluated by the program directors and faculty mentors. Successful applications include strong letters of reference and personal statements describing their motivation for participating in the program. The program begins in late May with a research boot camp where students receive training in navigating scientific literature, understanding research ethics, scientific note taking, and selected scientific techniques. During the research immersion component, students also participate in activities designed to help ease the transfer process from community college to four-year colleges or universities. Other training sessions include workshops on analyzing and presenting scientific data and applying to graduate school. Students also participate in a scientific outreach program for the local community. More information about the program is available by visiting https://precs.igb.illinois.edu/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Nathan Schroeder at nes@illinois.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Carlson at ccarlson@parkland.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.