| NSF Org: |
DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | March 25, 2015 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | March 25, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1461295 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Sally O'Connor
DBI Division of Biological Infrastructure BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences |
| Start Date: | April 1, 2015 |
| End Date: | March 31, 2019 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $245,021.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $245,021.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
601 S KNOLES DR RM 220 FLAGSTAFF AZ US 86011 (928)523-0886 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1298 S. Knoles Dr. Flagstaff AZ US 86011-0001 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | RSCH EXPER FOR UNDERGRAD SITES |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.074 |
ABSTRACT
This REU Site award to Northern Arizona University, located in Flagstaff, AZ, will support the training of 8 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2015- 2017. Research is organized around a theme of placed-based research on human impacts on the environment on the Colorado Plateau. Expert mentors come from Biology, Forestry, and Environmental Sciences. Mentoring that begins with multidimensional interactions of peers and faculty helps students to feel that they are a fully-integrated part of the research endeavor and allows them to see a pathway from community college to a scientific career. Program elements include a research experience, and a field station-based introduction to environmental science research, group activities with a focus on responsible conduct of science and supporting Tribal and Community College students in becoming scientists. The core of recruiting is via site visits and relationship development between the PIs and faculty at the students' home institutions, supplemented by emailed flyers and a website. Application forms, essays, and reference letters are accepted in the winter and evaluated by the Co-PIs with priority given to students from tribal and community colleges who come highly recommended by their faculty and indicate a good match to the program in their essay.
It is anticipated that a total of 8 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Our program will contribute to more Native American and Hispanic students continuing their studies at 4-year and graduate-degree granting institutions.
A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Program evaluation also includes independent interviews of students and mentors and tracking and support for future success. Students are required to be tracked after the program and must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by visiting http://nau.edu/Merriam-Powell/Research-Experience/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Whipple at Amy.Whipple@nau.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Martinez at Theodore.Martinez@nau.edu).
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Intellectual Merit:
The overall goal of the program was for students to enhance their scientific and critical thinking skills through an active research and scientific writing program focused on environmental issues in the Colorado Plateau region of the USA. Intensive recruitment from regional tribal and community colleges ensured that the program reached underserved, rural populations. The recruiting partnerships with tribal colleges are described in more detail in a peer-reviewed journal article making the insight gained from this program available to the education community. Students in the program are co-authors on six additional peer-reviewed, scientific journal articles.
Feedback from mentors and students indicate that through their research experiences students developed scientific reasoning and data analysis skills, as well as confidence in their abilities to succeed in science. Poster presentations indicate that they are developing research and communication skills in science. Even more importantly, the program exposed students to new fields, provided students the opportunity to see how scientific research is conducted, and motivation to complete their undergraduate degrees in science.
Broader Impacts:
Over the four years of this award 32 students were supported by this undergraduate research program. Eighteen of these students were Native American or Hispanic and 16 were attending tribal or community colleges. All of the students expressed an intention to complete their Bachelor’s degrees, either at their home institution or through transferring. Many of the student’s expressed interest in continuing to graduate school, a thought that seemed unattainable before this summer research experience. Students also expressed interest in teaching, jobs in scientific fields, and in working on issues important to the Navajo Nation or other indigenous communities.
Last Modified: 07/14/2019
Modified by: Amy V Whipple
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