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By Sharron Hannon
shannon@uga.edu
Nineteen current University of Georgia students are taking advantage of a new program funded by the provost’s office that allows them to spend their summer working on specific research projects under the guidance of a faculty mentor.
For some, that means spending their time in a laboratory in one of the life science departments, engaged in such activities as studying a fungus that affects rice production or helping unravel the mysteries of an inherited disease prevalent in South Africa. For others, it means working on a project on weapons control with UGA’s Center for International Trade and Security, or observing the use of music therapy to improve the sucking skills of premature infants at Athens Regional Medical Center.
All of the students will earn six hours of academic credit. More importantly, they have an opportunity to start or continue a project of particular interest to them, working side by side with faculty researchers and graduate students. Their research project may turn into a senior thesis, a publishable journal article or a symposium presentation.
“Getting to participate in such a program is one of the great advantages to undergraduate students of attending a major research university,” says Karen Holbrook, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. “I’m happy we were able to make it financially feasible for this first group of students to become involved.”
The program is administered by the Center for Undergraduate Research Opportunities, part of the university’s Honors Program. Participation is not limited to Honors students, though a minimum grade point average of 3.4 after 30 hours of coursework was required for selection.
The students were each awarded a $2,000 fellowship to assist with expenses. In return, they will be called on to tell other students about their experiences. CURO coordinator Pam Kleiber will teach a forum on undergraduate research in the fall and plans to ask participants in the summer program to provide advice and information. Earlier this month, the students and their faculty sponsors also presented a program about their research activities to incoming students attending UGA’s Freshman College.
“We want students to realize early in their academic careers the opportunities that are available to them here to become involved in research,” says Honors Program director and associate provost Jere Morehead. “We’ve seen what an asset these kinds of experiences are to students as they pursue their studies in graduate school or medical school. Our recent Gates Cambridge Scholarship recipient, Semil Choksi, felt that his undergraduate research work definitely contributed to him being offered that prestigious award.” |
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