Our group has published 41 refereed articles during the reporting period. In addition, we have authored 5 book chapters and 31 published abstracts. Single PI competitive grants from federal and state sources are currently funded at $1.69 million with an additional $530,000 pending. Personnel supported either directly by EPSCoR funding or by additional funds obtained as a result of EPSCoR funding include: 4 visiting scientists, 7 postdocs, 7 technicians, 11 research associates, 20 GRAs, 38 undergrads, and 11 high school students. Of these, 64 are female and 34 male. Several GRAs, undergrads and high school personnel are recipients of national scholastic honors and awards. PIs have been invited to give 38 research presentations at regional, national and international symposia and conferences.
We sponsored a Summer Apprenticeship Program last summer for 10 high school and 2 undergraduate students, 9 of whom were female. The program culminated with a mini-symposium, in which the participants gave short presentations outlining their research projects. This program will be continued and expanded to include high school teachers this summer, with particular targeting to Native American students and teachers.
We are particularly excited about the new B.S. in Biotechnology degree program recently approved at MSU, which was initiated through interactions fostered by EPSCoR funding. Several of us (W. Dyer, J. Sherwood) are intimately involved in the design, administration and teaching for this degree. Students in the program will participate in research internships in our labs as well as biotechnology industries. For the coming year, we will continue to vigorously pursue interactions with undergraduate and high school students, through formal teaching and research opportunities in our labs.