Daunert, Sylvia

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University of Kentucky

KaleidoscopeVolume 3 Article 192004The Importance of Research in UndergraduateEducation: The Impact of the Beckman ScholarsProgramSylvia DaunertUniversity of Kentucky, daunert@uky.eduFollow this and additional works at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kaleidoscopePart of the Higher Education CommonsRight click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefitsyou.This Beckman Scholars Program is brought to you for free and open access by the The Office of Undergraduate Research at UKnowledge. It has beenaccepted for inclusion in Kaleidoscope by an authorized editor of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact UKnowledge@lsv.uky.edu.Recommended CitationDaunert, Sylvia (2004) "The Importance of Research in Undergraduate Education: The Impact of the Beckman Scholars Program,"Kaleidoscope: Vol. 3, Article 19.Available at: https://uknowledge.uky.edu/kaleidoscope/vol3/iss1/1984 K A L E I D O S C O P E    F  A  L  L    2  0  0  4The Importanceof Research inUndergraduateEducation: The Impactof the BeckmanScholars ProgramSylvia Daunert, Ph.D.Distinguished Professor,College of Arts & Sciences;Gill Eminent Professor of Analyticaland Biological Chemistry;Professor of Pharmaceutical SciencesI should start by describing a bit of my philosophyconcerning undergraduate education.  I am a firmbeliever in undergraduate research as part of astudent’s formation in any scientific discipline.While coursework allows students to gain theo-retical knowledge in their discipline of choice, it isessential that they realize how what they learn inclass relates to day-to-day life and to the advance-ment in science.  This connection can only be madeif the students have hands-on experience in a labo-ratory setting that stimulates their imagination andenhances their critical thinking process.  In the UKDepartment of Chemistry, we have several mecha-nisms by which students can be exposed to re-search and gain the needed experience.  Studentscan perform research by enrolling in CHE 395.  Thecourse can be taken for up to nine credit hoursand the student chooses an advisor from amongall the faculty members of theDepartment of Chemistry.  Of-ten, the students continue beingan active member of the chosenresearch group even after com-pleting their CHE 395 require-ment.  For students who areconsidering a research career ora medical profession, this is aninvaluable experience.In addition to CHE 395, over the last ten years,our Department as well as the Center for MembraneSciences has been sponsoring with funding from theNational Science Foundation (NSF), a “Research ForUndergraduates” (REU) Program.  These REU Pro-grams typically run over eight weeks during the sum-mer months, and in some cases have activities thatcontinue throughout the next academic year.  Givenmy interest in undergraduate research, I served as theDirector of the NSF Program of our Department dur-ing a number of years.  As part of the two-month sum-mer program, the student participants are involved inresearch projects in the laboratories of the REU fac-ulty. These projects are selected carefully to be withinthe abilities of the students, but at the same time to bechallenging and to promote interactions among theparticipants, the faculty, and the graduate andpostdoctoral student members in each REU advisor’sresearch group.Through the preparation of an interim report atthe beginning of July and a final research report at theend of the summer, the students experience how sci-entists organize and present their data.  All studentsparticipate in an “in-house” Research Conference atthe end of the summer at which they give poster pre-sentations of their research.  A series of talks are orga-nized during the summer to introduce the students tovarious aspects of a research career.  The topics rangefrom scientific ones to career-oriented ones, so thestudents are exposed to the different aspects of the lifethat they will encounter if they choose to pursue highereducation.  Often, students who live within drivingdistance of our University continue their research dur-ing the academic year.As part of this program, REU students attend andpresent papers at scientific meetings.  In 2003, ourREU students once again received competitive awardsat these meetings for their REU research, continuingour 16-year-long tradition of students receiving com-petitive awards for their work.  A large number ofmanuscripts have resulted from work performed bythese undergraduate students.  There is no doubt inmy mind that opportunities such as REU program pre-THE UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY JOURNAL OF UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP   85pare undergraduate students better for their futurecareers in research.Another mechanism by which talented under-graduate students can receive support to pursue re-search within a specific laboratory at the Universityof Kentucky is through the Beckman Scholars Pro-gram.  This is an extremely competitive program thatawards two scholarships a year.  I have had the plea-sure to be involved with the Beckman Scholars Pro-gram from the beginning, and one of my students,Anna Rothert, has been the recipient of a 2003Beckman Scholarship.  Anna first began working inmy laboratory as a technician during her sophomoreyear at UK.  Realizing that she was a hard-workerwith great scientific aptitude, Dr. Sapna Deo, an As-sistant Research Professor in our Department and Iencouraged her to perform research within our group.Anna eagerly accepted, and soon began working onher own project mentored by Dr. Deo.  In the two anda half years that Anna has been a member of my group,she has shown a level of maturity and understandingthat is uncommon in undergraduate students.  Shedemonstrated her dedication to research by alwaysfinding time for research in the midst of a full sched-ule of classes, which usually included several at thegraduate level.  Anna is extremely intelligent andmanaged to maintain a perfect GPA through her un-dergraduate career. Needless to say, Anna is not onlya very independent and capable researcher, but alsohighly productive.  In that regard, she is already theco-author of several research presentations and pub-lications. Anna is able to manage different projects atthe same time, and is currently serving as mentor ofother undergraduate students.  On a personal note,Anna is one of the most delightful and kind individu-als who has passed through our laboratory. She isalways willing to help, listen to advice, and is promptto tackle new challenges without hesitation. Every-one in the Daunert group loves Anna!  Anna has cho-sen to pursue a Ph.D. in Biochemical Nutrition at theUniversity of Wisconsin and is scheduled to start inthe Fall of 2004.  I am certain that she will be a starstudent there, and let me assure you that we all aregoing to miss her!In reflecting on how the Beckman Scholars Pro-gram influences the career of a student, I think thatwe should also consider what kind of an impact theProgram has on the research group that hosts theScholar.  There is no doubt that such an award helpspropel the career of a student by allowing him or herto focus on research without the need for the studentto worry about finances, as the scholarship funds arequite generous.  Moreover, because it covers a fullyear of research, and sponsors a trip to a conferenceof choice, even overseas, “allows the students to per-form meaningful projects that result in research thatcan be presented in scientific meetings and/or in pub-lications.  The Beckman Scholars Program is also ben-eficial to the laboratory that hosts the student becauseit is always important to have students who are tal-ented and can serve as role models for the incomingjunior ones.As I mentioned earlier, I think that it is very im-portant to support and encourage undergraduates thatwant to be involved in research activities.  My labora-tory typically has about five or six undergraduatesworking in our group over the course of a year.  Thesestudents each have their own independent researchprojects and are given direct guidance by graduatestudents, post-doctoral students, Dr. Deo, and myself.Through the years, many of the undergraduate stu-dents who have worked within our group have re-ceived prestigious fellowships and awards for theirresearch.  These students are typically very success-ful once they graduate and go on to pursue graduatestudies in Chemistry, Chemical and Materials Engi-neering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or attend MedicalSchool.  In our research group, the senior undergradu-ate, graduate, and postdoctoral students have a senseof pride when one of “them” is recognized for theirwork or achieves such an honor as to become aBeckman Scholar.  In my view, having the research ofa laboratory recognized by an award to a student is asimportant or more so than when the honored indi-vidual is the head of the research group.  It is an in-credible motivator for the students as well as for theresearch advisor, and stimulates the desire to reachfor the “stars” in all of us.

The Importance of Research in Undergraduate Education: The Impact of the Beckman Scholars Program

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The Importance of Research in Undergraduate Education: The Impact of the Beckman Scholars Program

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