Eastern receives research camp grant

This summer, some undergraduate students will get the opportunity to get their boots muddy-very muddy. They'll be doing it in the name of science, in an effort to improve the quality of Kentucky's streams.Beginning this summer, Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky will be hosting a 10-week-long environmental research program, in which eight to 10 undergraduate students will be conducting research on the impact of coal mining on soil carbon storage and erosion in Appalachian headwater streams.

The program is part of a three-year grant sponsored by the Research Experience for Undergraduates program (REU), which is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Aside from the military, the NSF is the largest funding agency for science programs in the United States, said Alice Jones, research director for the environmental research program.

The research program is a joint collaboration between Eastern and the University of Kentucky. Jones will be co-leading the program with James Fox, an assistant professor at the University of Kentucky Department for Civil Engineering.

Eastern will be providing the land for field research, including access to Lilley Cornett Woods and other sites in Letcher, Perry, and Leslie counties. The University of Kentucky will be providing lab resources for students.

Jones said students will be provided a variety of faculty mentors in different specialized fields, such as biology and chemistry, in order to better suit the students' needs as they work toward their research goals.

"We want to give [students] as much latitude as possible to develop their own projects," Jones said.

A majority of the funding for the project goes straight to the participants, which makes it unique, Jones said. Students will be provided free housing at the University of Kentucky, earn a weekly salary of $450 and have most of their meals provided.

Jones said while the program is accepting applications nationwide, special effort is being made to recruit students from Appalachian regions, because they are already familiar with the area.

"A lot of Eastern students would be attractive to the program," Jones said. "What is more important.is the [students'] attitude and interest, rather than specific skills. Anyone is welcome to apply, but they have to be interested in the program."

The research project will look good on graduate school applications and career portfolios, Jones said. And students will have an opportunity to present their research papers on a national level, by attending a national conference and presenting their findings, she added.

Jones and Fox first applied for the research grant in 2006, but were turned down. They re-applied in September of 2007 and received their award letter in the middle of August, almost a year later.

Jones said they were encouraged to apply a second time because the REU was very interested in their concepts and ideas, but ran out of money before it could fund the project during the first application process.

"[We] learned that because you're turned down doesn't mean you're rejected," Jones said

REU sponsors approximately 200 nationwide programs. This will be the fourth in Kentucky. Jones said the REU was created to encourage faculty to involve undergraduate students in real-life research.

Jones said REU programs aim to improve students' knowledge of science, technology, engineering and math-areas where the U.S. is losing its "competitive edge" globally.

"The REU program is almost the perfect blend of linking research to teaching, by focusing on the research side," said Jones. "[It's] really exciting, it isn't like your mother's ancient chemistry class, it is very relevant to the future."

Students who want to apply for the program can find an application at http://eri.eku.edu/REU09/reu_home.html. The due date is Feb. 27, 2009.