A faculty research and training program for undergraduates in the sciences.

Abstract

Faculty enthusiasm, with actual hands-on involvement, is a critical factor in establishing student research interest and excitement in a university or college science environment. Such faculty involvement is infectious to students and therefore key to restoring United States leadership in science and technology in the next decades. Most scientists acknowledge that they were initially attracted into scientific careers through one or two notable teachers who served as role models. However, with the introduction of so-called "big science" and its distraction of university faculty away from meaningful, direct student contacts, and with associated withdrawal of funding from "little science" in the college teacher's laboratory, research languishes in nearly all undergraduate teaching institutions. The inspiring college science teacher seems essentially gone, tired or burnt out, unable to keep pace with the rigorous demands of an active research lab while simultaneously meeting the exhausting load of 15-18 (or more) contact teaching hours per week. With all of the associated lecture preparations, student counseling, and Dean's committee assignments, the teacher has little or no scholarly "think time" or opportunity to inspire even the bright students. Without the teacher's honest and evident involvement and deep commitment, the student fails to experience the essential impact of a convincing role model. It is therefore necessary to restore the college science teacher's opportunity and aspirations to be personally involved in research. This can only be accomplished by providing time, facilities, incentives, and encouragement to do what originally attracted the teacher into a career in science and teaching in the first place.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)