Oakland University recently was selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) to receive its second three-year Merck Company-funded award. The 2005-07 Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program award provides $20,000 per year for interdisciplinary research experiences for outstanding students in biological sciences and chemistry and to support career-related activities for all science majors. Oakland received a three-year award in 2001 and was one of 15 institutions selected in the 2005 competition.

Oakland’s program features interdisciplinary research projects with selected students working with both a biology faculty mentor and a chemistry faculty mentor. The 12-week summer program provides a stipend to the student researchers and supplies support through the College of Arts and Sciences to two faculty mentors.

In addition, Oakland University Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Virinder Moudgil is providing funding for an additional Merck scholar, bringing the total number of awards to six.

This year’s student winners are:

• Line Jensen of Rochester, a junior majoring in biochemistry;
• Brandon Twardy of Warren, a junior majoring in biochemistry;
• Ashlee Krisko of Sterling Heights, a junior majoring in biology;
• Charla Harvey of Rochester Hills, a junior majoring in biology;
• Natalie Jameson of Royal Oak, a junior majoring in biology;
• Bojan Sljivic of Shelby Township, a junior majoring in chemistry.

During the summer, the students and faculty meet biweekly for informal lunch discussions on research techniques and project progress. The Merck scholarship winners will present their research at multiple local and regional undergraduate research gatherings, including Meeting of the Minds.

The program’s long-term objective is to encourage students to pursue graduate education that bridges the important disciplines of biology and chemistry. During the award years, Merck representatives will visit recipient institutions and meet with students and faculty.