Two science programs offered during the summer give women and minority students a chance to apply their studies to practical application in the laboratory setting.
The eight-week Research Fellows Program and the six-week Howard Hughes Pre-College Program in the Biological Sciences allow rising University sophomores and rising high school seniors to do laboratory research with professors.
The program introduces students to scientific research. It targets women and minorities who have traditionally been under-represented in science, said Mary Nijhout, associate dean of Trinity College and director of the Research Fellows Program.
Students in both programs conduct research in a wide range of areas, from electrical engineering to biochemistry.
The program tries to match students with supervising mentors who do research in the areas that interest students.
One of the goals of the program is to increase the students' interest in science.
"I see a big increase in interest about science in general, but I also think [Tonya Matthews, a student in his lab] is learning things this summer that will help make her classes more understandable to her," said biochemist Terrence Oas, a mentor for the Research Fellows Program.
Matthews agreed. The program was "exciting and challenging" and strengthened her decision to pursue a career as a biomedical engineer, she said.
The material Matthews covered this summer in the lab will be taught in approximately 1 1/2 of her next three electrical engineering courses, she said.
College students were not the only ones enjoying their work.
"It was an opportunity to see what research was all about, to see both the frustrating and the rewarding sides," said Liz Schoenbaum, a senior at the Carolina Friends School.
"She's gotten to see first hand that there's a lot of creativity to science," said Schoenbaum's mentor Gillian Einstein, assistant research professor in the department of neurobiology.
There is more to the programs than just lab work. Students in the Research Fellows Program meet in a group tutorial every day. They discuss their research, topics in scientific ethics, the basic components of a research report and other related subjects.
At the end of the program, students gave short oral presentations of their research to each other in the Searle Center.
Students in the Pre-College Program, in which high school students can take University summer courses, can also learn from the University students in the program. University students held a forum for the high school students concerning college life and the study of science in college.
PCP has been successful in directing students towards careers in science. The majority of the students who participated in the program in the last two years chose to pursue science at the college level, said Deborah Wahl, coordinator for science education initiatives.
The programs are funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The Research Fellows Program also received a grant this year from the U.S. Department of Education. Twenty-two students participated in the Research Fellows Program, and 21 in the Pre-College Program.
Students who apply to the program must express an interest in a research-based scientific career, Nijhout said. This year, the program accepted 22 out of 42 applicants. Students are provided with free housing on Central Campus and a stipend of $2,000.
Participants in the Pre-College Program are nominated by their schools. All of the students come from Durham and Orange County area high schools. They commute to campus from home, and receive a stipend of $1,000.
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