The University of Washington is thrilled to announce a new program, the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program (DDCSP@UW). The goal of this multi-year conservation immersion program is to broaden participation within conservation, and diversify what it means to be a “conservation professional.”

We are reaching out to you because we know that recruiting our target audience will take a strong partnership between faculty and staff mentors at the students’ home institution and our program faculty and staff here at UW, and we need a truly diverse group for the program to be transformative.

We’re looking for 20-25 freshmen and sophomores to join us for an 8 week immersion course this summer.  Our program starts in Seattle (3 weeks) and travels to various landscapes across the state (4 weeks) before returning to the UW campus at the end of the summer (1 week). Scholars don’t have to be environmental science, or even science, majors, but should demonstrate a commitment to the environment and to diversity, and be curious, creative and enthusiastic – incipient change-makers.

Conservation Scholars will:

• Explore conservation across urban, managed, and protected environments
• Connect conservation to cultural heritage and environmental justice
• Understand conservation in the context of food, water, biodiversity and climate
• Network with conservation professionals from agencies, NGOs, and academic institutions

The Year 1 experience, Classroom in the Field, starts on June 23rd, 2014. Doris Duke Conservation Scholars will have all travel, insurance, food and lodging paid during their 8-week summer experience and will receive a weekly stipend of $500. Year 1 Scholars may be invited to join a Conservation Solutions Team, or receive a prestigious Conservation Internship in subsequent summers.

* Note:
Our application will go live on the website later this month. Please strongly encourage any students who might be interested in the program to check out the website and apply, and please let us know at ddcsp@uw.edu if you have any questions or if you would like to set up a time to talk with us.

"The O'Donnell family papers consists primarily of letters and other documents written to and from the descendants of John O'Donnell (1749-1805) and his wife Sarah Chew Elliott O'Donnell (1768-1855). The most prolific writer among them was Columbus O'Donnell (1792-1873), the eldest surviving son of John and Sarah O'Donnell's sons, whose letters during and immediately after the Civil War provide a glimpse into the social attitudes and economic conditions surrounding that conflict."

Meet Bradley.

He is a Computer Engineering major and a URA Scholar. His research will study the development of a unique underwater signal reflection-enabled, acoustic-based localization scheme that employs both a line-of-sight and surface-reflected non-line-of-sight ranging information to locate undefined reference points.

How did you find your mentor for your research project?
My mentor Dr. Mohammed Younis was originally my professor for CMPE 212: Principles of Digital Design, the first Computer Engineering class I took at UMBC. I ended up establishing a relationship with him and talked to him about various topics ranging from summer internships and REU Programs to classes. At the start of my junior year, I was invited for a lab tour and was able to meet the graduate students as well as see some of the research projects that were going on in his lab. After that visit, I knew that I wanted to do research in Dr. Younis’ lab.

Is this your first independent research project?
No, however it is my first at UMBC. As a member of the Meyerhoff Scholarship program, I have been encouraged to do research each year. I have been fortunate enough to participate in summer REU (Research Experience for Undergraduate) programs at West Virginia University and Texas A&M University along with an Internship at the White House. These experiences allowed me to learn more about the Computer Engineering field and research process. However, a benefit of conducting research at UMBC is that I have had the opportunity to conduct research over a full academic year in sustained length, allowing me to take a project from beginning to end.

How much time do you put into it?
It’s hard to say exactly how much time I put into my research project, as time commitments vary significantly based on a number of factors. I would say however, that I spend about an average of 10 hours a week working on research.

How did you hear about the Undergraduate Research Award (URA) program?
I have a twin brother who did research last year at UMBC and received the award. Also, I have friends who are in the program and my mentor Dr. Younis talked about the opportunity to apply this year. I felt this was a good opportunity and decided to apply.

Was the application difficult to do?
No, it was pretty straightforward. I had help from my mentor and graduate students that made the process easier. It also gave me the opportunity to summarize my research in order to prepare for a publication that my lab was starting on at the time.

What has been the hardest part about your research? 
The hardest part of doing research in general is being able to set personal boundaries. This research was no exception. As a student, it is important to remember that your academic classes are your priority. Sometimes when you are doing research and stuck on a problem, you constantly think about that problem until you can find the answer, and sitting through a lecture where the professor is talking about a topic completely different can become a challenge. However, time management skills can help in dealing with this challenge.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research? 
One piece of advice that I would give is that you should never be afraid to try something new. This is especially true in research. You may never know that you like a particular research topic unless you try doing research in that area. Having many different experiences will allow you to get a breadth of knowledge and allow you to find out what you are interested in.

What are your career goals?
In May 2014, I will graduate with a degree in Computer Engineering. After I graduate, I am planning on going to graduate school to get a Ph.D. in either Computer or Electrical Engineering. After graduate school, I feel like I would want to work in research in the defense industry and eventually work in technological leadership in the federal government or as a CTO of a company.

Read his abstract here...

You are also invited to visit the Women’s Center on Wednesday, November 20th to view the slideshow and reflect on these lives.

For more information, there will be a table at the Korenman Lecture.

Visit transgenderdor(dot)org to learn more.

He is a Biochemistry major currently research the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Murine Leukemia Virus (MLV). He is also involved with SGA and the Minority Association of Premedical Students (MAPS). He hopes to pursue a degree in Medicine.

What research have you been doing this summer?
I have been working on transcription of the 5’ untranslated region of the Moloney Murine Leukemia Virus (MLV) genome in the structural biology lab of Dr. Michael F. Summers.

How did you find out about this opportunity?
I got this opportunity by emailing Dr. Summers and asking for a position in his lab and I was interviewed by him. There was no formal application process.

Who did you work with on this project?
I work with Dr. Summers, Deborah Girma (my grad student mentor), and Alex Emmanuelli, a biochemistry senior.

Was this your first independent research project?
No it’s my second involvement in research.

Do you get course credit for this work or get paid? How much time do you put into it?
During the summer I put in 40 hours a week but during the school year I will be working 8-10 hours weekly. This was a paid position.

What academic background did you have before you started?
I had finished two years of general and organic chemistry as well as three of the four biology courses required for biochemistry majors.

How did you learn what you needed to know to be successful in this summer project?
The project involved a lot of hands-on learning. I received on-the-job training from my graduate student.

What has been the hardest part about your work this summer?
The initial learning curve period; the time it took for me to get used to working in this lab.

What was the most unexpected thing?
The coolest thing about my lab is the willingness to teach and be taught displayed by everyone. We have a great working environment.

How does this research experience relate to your course work?
It is a biochemistry lab and I am a biochemistry major so there is perfect correlation between research and coursework.

What is your advice to other students about getting involved in research?
Apply quickly and apply early. Email professors asking about positions in their labs, talk to friends who are currently in labs asking if there are openings. Read up on the work done by the researchers at UMBC and apply to whatever interest you. If you have the chance to interview, prepare for it and be confident.

What are your career goals?
I plan to go to medical school and get an MD/PhD after my time at UMBC

What else are you involved in on campus?
I work with the SGA, I’m a member of UMBC National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH), I’m a member of Minority Association of Premedical Students, (MAPS), and I’m involved with Bethel Campus Fellowship.

Read his abstract here..