The Science House - HHMI Program

North Carolina State University
and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Student Research and Broadening Access to Science

A Science and Mathematics Research and Outreach Project

We are pleased to announce the Student Research Exploration and Precollege Outreach Program, funded by a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Charles Lytle, Professor of Zoology and Coordinator of Biology Outreach Programs is the Program Director. Dr. Lytle and Dr. David Haase, Professor of Physics and Director of The Science House are Co-Principal Investigators for the grant. Judy Day is the project coordinator.

The program's goal is to strengthen North Carolina's Research Commuity through engagement of students in science from the formative pre-college stages through undergraduate studies leading them into graduate or professional schools.

The program has two major components: (1) A Precollege Outreach Program directed by Dr. David G. Haase, Professor of Physics and Director of the Science House, and (2) A Student Research Exploration Program directed by Dr. Charles F. Lytle.

This is the third Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant received by the university. Many of the components of this program build upon the success of the first and on many years' experience in assisting schools and teachers across the state. The first Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant was awarded in 1992 and included several components including a substantial precollege outreach program co-directed by Drs. Lytle and Haase.

Precollege Program Components

Rural Schools Programs The Rural Schools program of The Science House includes schools in counties in rural Northeastern NC (Halifax, Gates, Bertie, Northampton, Currituck, Camden, Chowan, Hertford, Pasquotank, Washington, Martin, and Perquimans). This program continues to support a Science House satellite office in the area with a master teacher to assist area science and math teachers with training and loans of computers and teaching laboratory equipment.

Expanding Your Horizons Co-sponsor four annual career exploration conferences in science and technology for approximately 2000 7th grade students on the NC State campus.

Emerging Science and Technologies This short course for teachers will bring 20 high school teachers together each summer at NC State University for an invigorating three-day residential lecture/laboratory experience focused on contemporary and emerging areas of science. These teacher workshops will increase awareness of current issues at the forefront of biomedical science and assist the teachers in transmitting the information to their students through active learning in their classrooms.

Bennett's Millpond Project Bennett's Millpond is an extensive natural habitat that is available for student use as part of the Albemarle Learning Center in Edenton, NC. This project will work with teams of high school teachers and students in monitoring environmental changes and developing ongoing research projects in the millpond. Data and research will be entered in an online database to be used by other teachers and students across North Carolina along with supporting curriculum materials.

Student Research and Broadening Access to Science Program Components:

Program Goals	Goals of the Program: 1) To improve student interest and preparation for careers in science, technology, or the medical sciences; 2) To stimulate interest in and appreciation of scientific research; 3) To increase the number of undergraduates from underrepresented groups pursuing advanced training in these fields; and 4) To improve science and science education majors' preparation for and interest in pursuing and remaining in careers in science education.
RISE	Provide a three-week research experience for eight incoming freshmen at NC State University during the summer prior to attending the University. The program seeks to engage the students in authentic scientific research in their major on the NC State campus and provide them with knowledge of University facilities, faculty members, and other students in the program with similar interests
Student Summer Interns	Provide a ten-week summer research experience for nine students each year from the fields of science, engineering, mathematics and science education. Applicants must attend one of the consortium member institutions: NC State University, Meredith College, Salem College, NC Central University, NC A&T University, NC Wesleyan College, UNC-Pembroke, Peace College, Bennett College, Mount Olive College, and Johnson C. Smith University. Undergraduate summer interns will work in research laboratories on campus and in cooperating laboratories of state and Federal Agencies as well as private industry in the Triangle area.
Learning Through Research Seminars	Provide a series of Learning Through Research Seminars by leading scientists for undergraduate students on the NCSU campus and each of the other institutions in the consortium to stimulate student interest in research and to aid in recruiting student interns.