|
"Academic
preparation at CSU includes the expected - books, projects and exams -
and the unexpected- community outreach, field experiences, laboratory
research, internships, study abroad, and more."
-Why choose CSU website
Student Ecology
Research Program
Ecological
research is a labor-intensive process that strongly depends on the
employment of undergraduate students. Unfortunately, these research
activities too often amount to weighing, washing, grinding, preparing,
data entry and generally carrying out mundane tasks in exchange for a
paycheck. The overall goal of SERP is to transform the role of
undergraduates, offering them a chance for fuller participation in the
research process.
SERP
is a framework on the CSU campus that will bring undergraduates together
from a variety of ecologically-based research projects, and elevate their
experience by placing research into a broader context. The SERP
program has three main foci: independent research projects,
developing scientific skills, and developing an appreciation for a
scientific community. Undergraduate participants in this program are
called "fellows" to distinguish the nature of their participation.
Research
With
the help of their supervisor, SERP fellows will carry out and report on a
research project aligned with the overall mission of the broader project.
By allowing the Fellows some independence in conducting a series of
experiments students will have an opportunity to learn about what
scientific research is really like. By relying on students to carry
out a component of the larger project, PIs will be broaden the scope of
their research. Finally, as students carry out their projects they
will find that a variety of skills are required for conducting experiments
and evaluating and presenting results. SERP will provide a forum for
students to develop these skills.
Skills
Each fellow participating in the program will
necessarily need to develop a unique suite of technical skills suited to
their analyses. Beyond that, all of the students will find that
other, professional, skills are necessary for them to succeed.
Therefore, weekly training sessions over the course of the summer will
bring students together in a classroom setting for group learning about a
weekly skill set. The main content areas are: philosophy of science,
scientific method, experimentation, basic statistics, library research, an
introduction to ecological modeling, critical reading,
scientific/technical writing, and professional presentations.
Participating faculty will meet with the Fellows briefly on the Friday
preceding their meeting to outline the scope of the lecture and to give
the students assigned readings. During the class the students will
carry out a number of exercises and will have a chance to consult the
faculty facilitator and other students about how various aspect of the
week's information impact their study. Finally, the summer will
culminate in two (half) day symposium during which all of the students
will present their results to the SERP Fellows and faculty.
Community
Since SERP Fellows will take ownership of a component
of the project it follows that the Fellows should be considered
participants in the broader project. One important aspect of this is
participation in regular project meetings. Participation in these
meetings will introduce the Fellows to other faculty members, enable them
to learn about other aspects of the broader project, and introduce them to
project management. When appropriate, Fellows will present their
results to the research group. Involvement in the research community
will show the students how science really gets done.
Faculty contributions
Faculty interested in participating:
Co-Directors: Rich Conant (FWRS & NREL) and
Joe von Fischer (Biology & NREL)
Faculty-led sections:
The scientific method: developing & testing hypotheses
Scientific ethics
Types of ecological experiments
Use of statistics & models in ecology
What makes a good summer research project?
Reading scientific literature
Finding scientific literature & The Web of Science
How to give a scientific presentation
Writing a scientific paper
The principles and reality of graduate school
Writing successful graduate and grant applications
Research results symposium
Participating Faculty/PI's & affiliations:
Lisa Angeloni
(Biology)
Mike Antolin (Biology)
Randy Boone (FRWS & NREL)
Indy Burke (FRWS)
Will Clements (Fisheries & Wildlife)
Niall Hanan (FRWS & NREL)
Jeff Hicke (NREL)
Bill Lauenroth (FRWS)
Dennis Ojima (FRWS & NREL)
Stephen Ogle (NREL)
Dave Schimel (NCAR)
Mary Stromberger (Soil & Crop)
Keith Paustian (Soil & Crop & NREL)
Diana Wall (NREL)
Colleen Webb (Biology)
Jeff Welker (NREL)
|
