By Rebecca Wyatt Thomas, OU Web Writer

Ronee Harvey, a medical laboratory science junior, aspires to go to medical school. To help her learn more about research and gain experience that will look good on her medical school application, Harvey participated in the Eye Research Institute’s Summer Undergraduate Program in Eye Research for undergraduate students. Working in the lab of Shravan Chintala, assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the Eye Research Institute, Harvey learned about research, performed experiments and even worked a paper that was published in a professional journal.

Harvey worked with Chintala on research that focuses on glaucoma and certain cells that are in the retina.

“I gained some independence in the lab and I was able to anticipate where we were going with the research,” Harvey said. “Dr. Chintala designed the experiments and kept me updated on what we were going and how we were progressing toward our final goal.”

Harvey learned of the 12-week summer program from someone working at the ERI. They suggested Harvey apply to prepared herself for medical school.

“I know I want to go into medicine and there is the clinical and the research part of it. I really didn’t know where I wanted to specialized, whether in clinical or research. I though it would be good to get a taste of the research aspect,” Harvey said. She took on the summer program between her sophomore and junior years.

In addition to the research, learned from other ERI researchers about what they were doing, and researchers from outside of Oakland came to weekly lectures and discussed their area of study.

Harvey had the opportunity to assist with an article that was published in, “Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science,” a professional journal — a unique experience for an undergraduate student.

“Once we had the data, we analyzed it and drew some conclusions,” Harvey said. “Dr. Chintala had me look up other articles related to what we were working on. I’d never written a journal article before. This introduced me to the basic principles and steps.”

Harvey learned how to include figures and diagrams in the paper to explain the methods and outline the experiment.

While the summer program was a demanding, Harvey said that she enjoyed the experience and would like the opportunity to work in a lab again in the future. She encourages all students who are planning to move on in their education to participate in a research program.

Oakland University offers a number of summer research programs in a variety of areas.

ARIM: Automotive Research and Industrial Mentorship Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program at Oakland University

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program in the department of mechanical engineering at Oakland University was setup to provide meaningful, hands-on and timely 10-week summer research experiences to eight talented and motivated undergraduate engineering students from across the United States. This program is sponsored by the National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU) and by the Department of Defense Awards to Stimulate and Support Undergraduate Research Experiences (ASSURE) program. Students work in teams of two or three on automotive research projects involving fluid mechanics, heat transfer, energy and/or tribology. Throughout this program, students work closely with faculty, industrial mentors and graduate students. Students also take part in additional activities such as field trips, seminars, meetings with working engineers, conferences and short courses on alternative energy.

Participants will receive a weekly stipend of $400 (for 10 weeks) and a small meal allowance. On-campus housing is provided for those students requiring it, and up to $400 is available to offset the costs of travel to Oakland University.

Dershwitz Summer Research Fellowship

One Oakland University undergraduate majoring in chemistry or biochemistry that has completed their sophomore year and has a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 during the past four semesters will be selected. The admitted undergraduate will be awarded a research fellowship of $3,500, funded by an Endowment established by the Distinguished Alumni Award winner Mark Dershwitz, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and vice chair of Anesthesiology, and professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of Massachusetts. Program dates are from May 14 to Aug. 3, 2007 (12 weeks).

Applications are available on the Summer Research Opportunities Web site. The deadline for applications is March 16, 2007. For more information, call (248) 370-2347, (248) 370-2331 or e-mail ugr@ouchem.chem.oakland.edu.

Kelly Biomedical summer Research Fellowship

Two undergraduate science majors at any stage of their college career are eligible to apply. A cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 during the past four semesters is required to apply. The admitted undergraduates will be awarded a research fellowship of $3,500. Funding for this program is established by Kelly Scientific. Program dates are from May 14 to Aug. 3, 2007 (12 weeks).

Applications are available on the Summer Research Opportunities Web site. The deadline for applications is March 16, 2007. For more information, call (248) 370-2347, (248) 370-2331 or e-mail ugr@ouchem.chem.oakland.edu.

Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program

Oakland University has received a three year grant funded by the Merck Institute for Science Education to support undergraduate research on interdisciplinary projects. Five Oakland University undergraduate science majors who have completed their sophomore year will be selected to do full-time research for twelve weeks during the spring and summer terms. Preference will be given to students who have a G.P.A. 3.0 and above, previous research experience, and a sincere interest in graduate study in the sciences. Each student will work with a team of faculty mentors (one from biology and one from chemistry) on a project that will expose them to the techniques and processes of biological and chemical research. A major goal of the program is to encourage talented undergraduate students to consider graduate study in biology and chemistry. Students completing the summer experience at OU will be encouraged to apply for subsequent summer internships at Merck Research Laboratories. The admitted undergraduates will be awarded a research fellowship of $3,500. Program dates are from May 14 to Aug. 3, 2007 (12 weeks). Applications are available on the Summer Research Opportunities Web site. The deadline for applications is March 16, 2007. For more information, call (248) 370-2347, (248) 370-2331 or e-mail ugr@ouchem.chem.oakland.edu.

SMaRT

Summer Materials Research Training, SMaRT, is a 10-week summer research program run by the Department of Physics and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) where undergraduate students can gain research experience in materials modeling and measurements. Students are mentored by a physics professor on individual projects. High school seniors or undergraduate students at either a community college or university who have obtained a G.P.A. of 3.0 or above are eligible to apply. Applicants must be highly motivated, hard-working and curious about what it takes to pursue a career in science. Each student participant will receive a stipend of $4,000. The program runs from May 28 to Aug. 3, 2007 (10 weeks). The application form can be found on the SMaRT Web site. The deadline for applications is March 30, 2007. For more information, call (248) 370-2347, (248) 370-2331 or e-mail ugr@ouchem.chem.oakland.edu.

Thompson Summer Research Fellowship

Two Oakland University undergraduates majoring in chemistry or biochemistry who have completed their freshman year with a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0 in chemistry courses taken at Oakland University are eligible to apply. This program is funded by an endowment established by Ronald Bennett and Distinguished Alumni Award winner Janet Bennett, Ph.D. The admitted undergraduates will be awarded a research fellowship of $3,500. Program dates are from May 14 to Aug. 3, 2007 (12 weeks). Applications are available on the Summer Research Opportunities Web site. The deadline for applications is March 16, 2007. For more information, call (248) 370-2347, (248) 370-2331 or e-mail ugr@ouchem.chem.oakland.edu.

UnCoRe at Oakland University
The Computer Science and Engineering Department at Oakland University invites students to apply to its fifth summer of a National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduate students. The students selected to participate will be immersed in a research environment under the mentoring of CSE faculty. This program is a full-time comprehensive educational experience targeted to women and minorities in particular. It should be understood by the students that this position is not merely a summer job, but rather an educational experience where the students are treated as junior colleagues. The 10-week full-time research program runs from May 16 through July 21. Research teams of two are under close supervision of Computer Science and Engineering faculty. A variety of research topics are available in Intelligent Information Engineering. Students receive a stipend of $4,000, a meal allowance and travel subsidy to attend a conference. A $700 housing subsidy will be provided for students staying on campus. The program is open to all non-graduate undergraduate students who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents with an interest in Computer Science and Engineering. Students cannot be working or taking classes. Students will be selected based on statement of interest, letters of recommendation and a phone interview. For more information or an application, visit the Undergraduate Computer Research Web site. Applications are due Friday, March 16.

Summer Institute in Bioengineering and Health Informatics

The Oakland University Summer Institute in Bioengineering and Health Informatics is to promote graduate studies and careers in Bioengineering and Bioinformatics to bright and talented students pursuing degrees in computer, natural, health sciences, and other related majors. The institute will start from the third week of May and will engage the participants by immersing them in a comprehensive learning and research environment. The students receive a two-week focused training session followed by eight weeks of full-time research. Research is conducted within a multidisciplinary team and encompasses the full life-cycle from defining the research problem, exploring multiple solutions, discussing progress with peers and wider audiences, and formulating findings and making conclusions. The students are provided ample opportunities to form protégé-mentor relationships with faculty mentors, graduate students, and other researchers involved in the program. Additional activities during the summer include visits to research laboratories and participation in “Diversity in Bioengineering Day.” Student participants are strongly encouraged to continue their research throughout the academic year. Fall and winter workshops will be organized to let the students sustain the momentum, to assist them in writing and submitting their research results to national or international conferences, and to prepare them for making research presentations and networking skills. The summer program is 10 weeks long. Students cannot be working or taking classes at the same time. Research teams of two or three students will be closely supervised by multi-disciplinary faculty. A variety of research topics will be available in bioengineering and health informatics. Undergraduate students receive a stipend of $4,000 and graduate students receive a stipend of $5,500. Students also receive meal allowance and travel subsidy to attend a conference. Out-of-town students will be housed in the university housing. The students who stay on campus will receive a housing subsidy of $700. The program is open to all non-graduating undergraduate or graduate students who are U.S. citizens and permanent residents with interest in bioengineering and computer applications related to health sciences or biology. Students will be selected based on statement of interest, letters of recommendation, and G.P.A. For more information or an application, visit the Summer Institute in Bioengineering and Health Informatics Web site. Applications are due Friday, March 16.