2009-2011

Award No. 2009-38422-19878

Undergraduate Research Experiences in Microbiology and Developmental Entomology

($295,000)

This proposal seeks to enhance student experiential learning by engaging 18 St. Edward’s undergraduate students in research projects over the course of three years. Students will be involved in research projects during two consecutive summers, at both St. Edward’s University and the University of Texas at Austin.  During their first year they will begin their project in the spring with one of the Project Directors (PDs). This research will continue full-time during summer at SEU for six weeks. During this time, they will participate in laboratory meetings at the University of Texas at Austin (UT), our collaborating institution.  The research focus will be twofold: 1) analysis of produce pathogens or 2) Drosophila development.  The summer will conclude with the PDs and students visiting the laboratories at the USDA ARS unit in New Orleans for one week.  During the next fall and spring, research students will continue their research at SEU and make presentations at the Texas Academy of Science (TAS) followed by 8 weeks of research at UT during Summer 2011.  Students will disseminate their research from UT & SEU at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students (ABRCMS).