The Summer Research Bootcamp will be taken by fsRISE students during the Summer following their freshman year (when they are "rising sophomores"). In Summer 2009, the Bootcamp will take place between May 18 and August 7). It consists of two primary components: four weeks spent in a "Foundations in Laboratory Science (FLS)," course and 8 weeks of full-time research experience. There are also a number of workshops that will be taught in conjunction with the Bootcamp.
Foundations in Laboratory Science: To ease their transition into the laboratory bench, all fsRISE Students will participate in a month-long "hands-on" course to provide a strong foundation in basic skills necessary for success in a research laboratory. Students will receive training and reinforcement in a host of skills, including but not limited to pipeting, solutions, pH measurement, spectrophotometry, gel electrophoresis, online databases, and experimental design. The skills will be introduced in the context of designing small experiments and solving scientific problems.
Workshops: The Bootcamp will also feature courses on Scientific Writing, Leadership, and Research Ethics. Professional Development topics will be discussed, including but not limited to keeping a laboratory notebook, professional vocabulary, poster development and presentation, and CV development.
Laboratory Research: For the final 8 weeks of Summer, students will then enter a laboratory and spend 8 weeks performing full time laboratory research with a UTSA researcher. All students will work on a small research project that is expected to provide results sufficient for the creation of a scientific abstract. The summer will culminate with abstract creation and the UTSA Summer Program Poster Day, at which all students will present their work as posters with students from other UTSA Summer Programs. Students will also submit their abstracts to a national conference, at which they are expected to present their work the following Fall. l
For more info, email:
gail.taylor@utsa.edu