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Summer Explorations into “Sensing and Signaling”
For a second year, the BCMB department has sponsored a summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program. We began the program on Sunday, June 5, 2011, with sixteen undergraduate students from all over the United States, ranging from Michigan to Louisiana, North Carolina and Colorado. These students were selected from over 300 applicants to participate in a summer research experience forundergraduates (REU) program in the BCMB Department. Thirteen faculty, led by Brad Binder and Cynthia Peterson as the REU organizers, served as mentors for these students. These students, with background interests and undergraduate majors ranging from physics to pharmacology, took advantage of this unique summer research opportunity to work in BCMB laboratories on projectsthat helped them to hone their skills and biochemistry, cellular and molecular biology.
The REU participants gained new insight into the way cues from the environment are sensed by living organisms. In addition to conducting an original research project, the students participated in interactive lectures and panel discussions that focused on modern scientific developments and multidisciplinary approaches to studying sensing and signaling, how to make career choices what opportunities exist in the 21st century biology landscape, and professional ethics. Outside of the laboratory, they enjoyed a group hike in the Smoky Mountains, a canoeing adventure, and a July 4th barbecue.
The REU program ran from June 6 through July 29th, ending with a full-day symposium at which the students presented their research findings. The REU participants for 2011 included Apryl Anderson (UTK), Jourdan Andersson (Renssalaer Polytechnic Institute), Josh Barrios (Louisiana State University), Jeffrey Black (Univ of Alabama, Birmingham), Jeremy Dobbs (Michigan Tech), Aaron Dwan (Estrella Mountain Community College), Chenyere Ezikpe (Claflin College) Milton Herrold (Calvin College), Isaac Maison (Morehouse College), Elizabeth Miller (Warren WilsonCollege), Will Putzbach (Benedictine University), Clark Sealy (Covenant College), Grant Seiler (Carthage College), Cheongmin Suh (Colorado State University), and Jalyssa Wynder (Southern University).