ASU Hosts Experimental S.T.E.M. Research Summer Camp for College Students Across USA!

ASU's Dr. Komal Vig (center), professor of Biology, helps direct the summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates  (REU) program (Photo by David Campbell/ASU).

- Funded by National Science Foundation; it provides Research Experiences for College Undergraduates -

 Thursday's Research Symposium is culmination of summer study when students present their research -

- This story written by Kenneth Mullinax/ASU.

This is the last week for Alabama State University's acclaimed nationwide National Science Foundation (NSF) program titled "Research Experiences for Undergraduates" (REU), which is hosting 10 undergraduate students from across the nation who plan to pursue a doctoral degree in a S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subject or attend medical school. And, Thursday is the big "show and tell" where the various research projects worked on by each student with assistance from ASU's cadre of acclaimed research scientists will be presented and discussed in an event at the ASU Hardy Student Center's Ballroom from 10:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Thursday's symposium is free and will be open to ASU faulty/staff, students, parents, advisors, alumni and the public.

The camp is held for nine weeks (May 27 – July 26) and its purpose is to allow students from various schools from across the nation (including ASU) to work with the University's esteemed and multi-million dollar grant-awarded S.T.E.M. faculty members; who involve students in ongoing “hands-on” scientific research projects, said ASU's Dr. Komal Vig, a professor of Biology, who helps oversee Alabama State's NSF-REU program.

She said that student-participants are provided with exciting and stimulating experimental research training experiences in a range of S.T.E.M. fields of study, such as bioengineering, nanobiotechnology, phage technology, embryology, laser-induced break spectroscopy and much more.

"Students are also participating in scientific lecture seminars, scientific writing and speaking training, graduate and professional school guidance, career opportunities in academia and industry, professional and developmental skills activities, and educational field trips," Vig stated. 

She said that various workshops at ASU are being conducted for students to train and study such heady scientific questions as “Can artificial intelligence advance tissue manufacturing?”

 
NATIONWIDE SELECTION OF STUDENTS

Participants in the program were selected in a nationwide competition and represent a diverse range of colleges and universities including Chapman University, University of Arkansas, University of Puerto Rico, University of Nevada, Southern University at New Orleans, Lawson State College and Alabama State University. The program provides a $575 a week stipend for the 10 scholarly students, as well as on-campus housing, and meal and travel allowances.

Two students conducting research in ASU's NSF-REU summer program (Photo by: David Campbell/ASU).

GOAL TO ADVANCE GRADUATE S.T.E.M. STUDY 

One of the goals of Alabama State's NSF-REU summer program is to prepare undergraduates for successful transitions into S.T.E.M. graduate programs. The faculty staffing the summer training at ASU anticipate that the ongoing research experience had by the students will lead them into a successful pursuit of graduate degrees in S.T.E.M. fields.

ASU's Vig  serves as the principal investigator of the University's NSF-REU program. The Alabama State University Center for NanoBiotechnology Research (CNBR) along with a team of ASU faculty researchers, are assisting in the implementation of the summer NSF-REU program.

"Alabama State University is honored to have been chosen by the National Science Foundation to help stimulate these young scholars in its REU program so we might get more undergraduates to study and advance scientific study, which ultimately helps America," Vig said.

News media contact: Kenneth Mullinax, 334-229-4104.