REU Site: Natural History Research Experiences

REU 网站：自然历史研究经验

• 批准号: 2244445
• 负责人: Ioan Lascu
• 金额: $ 132.49万
• 依托单位: Smithsonian Institution
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-11-01 至 2028-10-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2244445&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: REU; Site; Natural; History; Research

The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), located in Washington, D.C. will host a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site during the summers from 2024-2028. The REU program will support 12 students each summer for 10 weeks, during which students will conduct independent research and participate in a variety of professional development workshops. Projects focus on the NMNH's research strengths in geology, biology, and in anthropology. Interns are given unparalleled access to the collections, facilities, and intellectual resources of NMNH while they develop a research project in close collaboration with a museum research scientist. The program is designed to support and prepare participants for entry into scientific careers by providing structured counsel on entering graduate school, designing, conducting and publishing research, and presenting results to the scientific community and the public. While these experiences will provide students with technical skills and pathways into science careers, the training will also encourage the development of critical thinking and presentation skills that will be valuable in any future career. NMNH is committed to broadening participation and enhancing diversity in natural history disciplines in order to develop an internationally competitive scientific work force for the future. In addition, the REU students will directly engage the museum-going public about their research, interacting with thousands of museum visitors annually.Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE) engages 12 undergraduate students annually in independent research projects under the mentorship of National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) scientific staff members. NHRE is designed for promising undergraduates who have had few opportunities to fulfill their potential as researchers in natural history disciplines. NHRE is structured around the mentor-student relation, with 80% of the time being devoted to the research project. During the remaining time, the interns participate in enrichment activities that include research, collections, and outreach aspects. They also participate in professional development activities, are discussants in decolonization workshops tailored to spark critical thinking related to museum practices, and receive training in ethics, communication, and workplace conduct. Projects focus on the NMNH’s research strengths in geology, biology, and anthropology. Interns work on hypothesis-driven research projects, which they can take ownership of at the end of the program. Interns have unparalleled access to museum collections, facilities, and intellectual capital to complete their projects. The success of the NHRE will be judged by its effects on student attitudes toward STEM, interns’ subsequent educational/career paths, the extent of mentor-student collaborations as measured by peer-reviewed publications, presentations at professional conferences, ongoing alumni mentoring and alumni peer networking, and by our success in broadening participation in natural history careers. With more than 4 million visitors annually, the NMNH is uniquely positioned to educate and inspire the public about natural history research. NHRE leverages Smithsonian’s excellence in education and communication, exposing the interns to the entire museum, not just the science departments. As part of our “The Expert Is In” outreach program, interns will directly engage the museum-going public about their research, interacting with thousands of museum visitors. NHRE is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in natural history disciplines, and broadening participation: at least 50% of interns will be underrepresented minorities, first-generation college students, persons with disabilities, and veterans. Half of the NHRE participants will be from institutions without a graduate program, where opportunities in STEM are limited.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.

位于华盛顿，华盛顿特区的史密森学会国家自然历史博物馆（NMNH）将在2024-2028年夏季举办本科生研究体验（REU）网站。REU计划将支持12名学生每年夏天10周，在此期间，学生将进行独立的研究，并参加各种专业发展研讨会。项目集中在NMNH在地质学，生物学和人类学方面的研究优势。实习生被赋予无与伦比的访问NMNH的收藏品，设施和智力资源，同时他们与博物馆研究科学家密切合作开发研究项目。该计划旨在通过提供有关进入研究生院、设计、开展和发表研究以及向科学界和公众展示成果的结构化咨询，为参与者进入科学职业提供支持和准备。虽然这些经验将为学生提供技术技能和进入科学职业的途径，但培训也将鼓励批判性思维和演讲技能的发展，这些技能在未来的职业生涯中都是有价值的。NMNH致力于扩大参与和提高自然历史学科的多样性，以发展具有国际竞争力的科学工作队伍的未来。此外，REU学生将直接参与博物馆的公众对他们的研究，每年与成千上万的博物馆游客互动。自然历史研究经验（NHRE）每年吸引12名本科生在国家自然历史博物馆（NMNH）科学工作人员的指导下进行独立的研究项目。NHRE是为有前途的本科生设计的，他们很少有机会发挥自己作为自然历史学科研究人员的潜力。国家人权教育是围绕导师-学生关系组织的，80%的时间用于研究项目。在剩余的时间里，实习生参加丰富的活动，包括研究，收藏和推广方面。他们还参加专业发展活动，在非殖民化研讨会上进行讨论，以激发与博物馆实践相关的批判性思维，并接受道德，沟通和工作场所行为方面的培训。项目侧重于NMNH在地质学，生物学和人类学方面的研究优势。实习生从事假设驱动的研究项目，他们可以在项目结束时获得所有权。实习生有无与伦比的访问博物馆收藏，设施和智力资本来完成他们的项目。NHRE的成功将通过其对学生对STEM的态度的影响，实习生随后的教育/职业道路，导师-学生合作的程度（通过同行评审的出版物，专业会议上的演讲，正在进行的校友指导和校友同行网络来衡量）以及我们在扩大自然历史职业参与方面的成功来判断。每年有超过400万的游客，NMNH在教育和激励公众进行自然历史研究方面具有独特的优势。NHRE利用史密森尼在教育和沟通方面的卓越表现，让实习生接触整个博物馆，而不仅仅是科学部门。作为我们的“专家在”外展计划的一部分，实习生将直接参与博物馆公众对他们的研究，与成千上万的博物馆游客互动。NHRE致力于促进自然历史学科的多样性和包容性，并扩大参与：至少50%的实习生将是代表性不足的少数民族，第一代大学生，残疾人和退伍军人。一半的NHRE参与者将来自没有研究生课程的机构，那里的STEM机会有限。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。