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The grant could probably only pay for 20 students, but Weir said, thanks to financial aid and professors donating pieces of their stipends from research work, the program is able to take on twice as many students for the summer.
This is the final year for the $900,000 that Weir himself applied for four years ago, but the program should flourish for at least four more as the group was awarded another $1.3 million grant.
Weir said the program is a great experience for students as they get to experience what it is like to be a scientific researcher.
"Many students find this a very useful experience. They find out what it is like to be a researcher and see if it is for them," said Weir. "It is not like a regular job where you just come in and know you have to do this and this. You have an idea what you want to do, but then something happens and everything can change."
Weir says most students will spend anywhere from 30 to 50 hours a week working on their project just as a regular researcher would.
With titles like "density-dependent control of forest caterpillars: investigating competition and parasitism" and "the role of phenotypic plasticity and ecology in the evolutionary diversification of polygonum species," the average person may have no idea what kind of impact these studies have on his daily life, but the reality is that, through these studies, the students are searching for answers to problems that plague many people every day.
Maxwell Greene was trying to find a way to see how neurons are born in the brain and if they have a predetermined pattern when they travel through the brain.
Through his research he hopes to fight Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases. His 10 weeks of research may have not cured it just yet, but he hopes his research may open doors to finding a cure.
"This is maybe a totally new thing and it doesn’t mean anything yet, but it is an interesting resolution and may mean something the future," said Greene.
Lauren Kunzik had nothing else to do this summer and stumbled into the program on some advice.
"My adviser talked about the program to me. I really had nothing to do this summer. I didn’t have a job or anything to do," said Kunzik. "He set me up with a mentor and I got in the program."
Kunzik calculated statistics from the 1997 Client Patient Sample Survey and displayed how gender and ethnicity play a role in mental health. Her findings even shocked her.
"I drew a conclusion that white kids were more likely to be diagnosed with substance abuse," said Kunzik. "This information could help fight substance abuse by having more anti-drug programs implemented where kids are more at risk."
After all the work Kunzik will miss the program and with a month until classes start up again has another problem to solve.
"Now I don’t know what I will do for the rest of the summer," said Kunzik.
To contact Szymon Twarog, call (860) 347-3331 ext. 220 or e-mail stwarog@middletownpress.com.
