URM: Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Science at UCB

授予加州大学伯克利分校(加州大学伯克利分校)的这一奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)提供资金的。加州大学伯克利分校将建立一个URM计划，让未被充分代表的少数族裔学生参与密集的指导和研究经验，并为他们在生物科学方面的研究生学习做好准备。这个URM项目将邀请4-5名本科生参加为期12-18个月的项目，研究环境应激源对两栖动物生长、发育和免疫功能的影响。包括池塘干燥、过度拥挤、极端温度、入侵物种和农业径流在内的几个环境因素可以对两栖动物产生负面影响，而不会直接导致死亡。这些环境应激源能够改变应激激素水平(皮质酮)和性类固醇激素水平(雄激素和雌激素)，导致生长、发育、生殖和免疫功能受损。这些研究对于理解导致全球两栖动物数量下降的因素之间的复杂相互作用至关重要。学生将利用一种综合的方法，将实地研究与受控的因果关系的实验室检查和潜在机制的探索相结合。一系列的实验室轮换和实习，参与的学生将在选定的实验室工作，这将扩大这种方法已经具有的综合性和跨学科性质。将招收来自代表性不足的种族群体的学生，重点是美洲原住民、太平洋原住民和来自农业社区的墨西哥裔美国人。将挑选最需要研究和指导经验的有才华的学生，以留住这些学生的理科，并为他们的研究生学习做好准备。除了研究，学生还将参加研讨会和工作坊，以进一步增强他们在该领域的知识，并发展他们的沟通和领导技能。欲了解更多信息，请联系URM项目主任Tyrone Hayes博士(tyrone@berkeley.edu)。

This award to the University of California - Berkeley (UC Berkeley) is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). UC Berkeley will establish a URM program to engage under-represented minority students in intensive mentoring and research experience and prepare them for graduate studies in the biological sciences. This URM program will engage 4-5 undergraduates for a period of 12-18 months in projects that examine the effects of environmental stressors on amphibian growth, development, and immune function. Several environmental factors including pond drying, overcrowding, temperature extremes, invasive species, and agricultural runoff can negatively impact amphibians without causing death directly. These environmental stressors are capable of altering stress hormone levels (corticosterone) and sex steroid hormone levels (androgens and estrogens), leading to impaired growth, development, reproduction, and immune function. These studies are critical in understanding the complex interactions between factors that contribute to global amphibian declines. Students will utilize an integrative approach that combines field studies with controlled laboratory examinations of cause-effect relationships and explorations of underlying mechanisms. A series of laboratory rotations and internships, where participating students will work in selected laboratories, will broaden the already integrative and cross-disciplinary nature of this approach. Students from under-represented ethnic groups will be recruited, with a focus on Native Americans, Native Pacific Islanders, and Mexican Americans from agricultural communities. Talented students who are in greatest need of the research and mentoring experience will be selected, in order to retain such students in science and prepare them for graduate study. In addition to research, students will participate in seminars and workshops to further enhance their knowledge in the field and develop their communication and leadership skills. More information is available by contacting the URM Program Director, Dr. Tyrone Hayes (tyrone@berkeley.edu).