NSF Awards $1 Million to Colorado State University’s Undergraduate Research Programs

Colorado State University’s Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry has received two grants from the National Science Foundation for the Rocky Mountain Sustainability and Science Network Summer Academy and the Rocky Mountain Scholars program.

Together, the grants total more than $1 million for five years.

The Rocky Mountain Sustainability and Science Network Summer Academy is a program including 23 partner universities that offers students from across the nation the opportunity to network with professionals in the industry of environmental sustainability. The program takes students on a one-week trip to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming where they are trained in field research and develop teambuilding and leadership skills. Students are given the opportunity to meet and network with agency professionals as well as arrange internships within the agencies. The program concludes with a certificate in global leadership and environmental sustainability.

“The Rocky Mountain Sustainability and Science Network was developed to help prepare the next diverse generation of leaders to address issues related to environmental sustainability,” said Mark Brown, clinical sciences faculty member and director of CSU’s Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry.

CSU’s Rocky Mountain Scholars program offers undergraduate and graduate students associated with the university the opportunity to gain real-world experience in their fields of study. The program seeks to encourage underrepresented students to remain in science disciplines by offering opportunities to do real-world research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, or STEM, disciplines. The program offers research positions, scholarships and support seminars and provides incentives for participants to increase their GPAs over time.

The program, which supports 40 undergraduates and three graduates, allows for both mentorship and research experiences. “Research experiences provide more meaning to students’ course work by serving as an extension of the learning experience beyond the basic theory the students receive in the classroom,” Brown said.

To learn more about the Office for Undergraduate Research and Artistry, visit http://tilt.colostate.edu/oura/.

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