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Campus News - November 12, 2001 |
Mentoring, teamwork backbone of successful PURSUE program
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By Michael Padilla Since its creation in August 1998, PURSUE (Preparation for University
Research of Students in Undergraduate Education) has funded 128 research
and education projects and has assisted more than 300 undergraduates,
60 graduate students, 50 faculty members and 30 visiting high school students. This program is an unselfish and all inclusive program, said
Dr. Nader Vadiee, director of the program and electrical and computer
engineering professor. The program enhances the quality of mathematics, science, engineering
and technology (MSET) education for undergraduate students, specifically
those from minorities and underrepresented groups, with the ultimate goal
of strengthening their MSET baccalaureate degree graduation rates. We have a 100 percent retention rate in the program, Vadiee said. Exposing these students to research experience at an early stage really makes this program successful. |
| PURSUE students (standing top left) Alejandro Rosillo-Anaya, junior EECE major, Joshua Morgin, senior EECE major, Paul De Rego, EECE graduate student and mentor, and Nader Vadiee, program director. |
A major aspect of PURSUE is the commitment of having graduate students mentor undergraduate students. Mentoring and team work are part of the culture of the PURSUE program, Vadiee said. My vision is to make mentoring a graduate school requirement. Graduate student mentors are the backbone of PURSUE. The information from the funded projects are disseminated through the PURSUE Annual Student Conference, program publications, program website and more than fifteen affiliated satellite websites.
The 128 projects funded by PURSUE include creating collaborative mobile robots,
which has applications in combatting bioterrorism. The project has taken on
a new task of designing a team of cooperative small smart, mobile robots that
can be deployed and infiltrate areas polluted and contaminated with hazardous
biological and chemical agents and return valuable information on the size,
extent and type of contamination.
We not only assist individuals interested in sciences and engineering,
but those in other departments at UNM, Vadiee said, adding that the program
reached out to undergraduates in Communication and Journalism, Anderson Schools
of Management, College of Education, and more. The goal is to expose students
to NASA and space-related research.
Most recently, PURSUE funded a video production project in the Communications
and Journalism Department. The funds allowed C&J to purchase new equipment
and enhance the departments video production facilities. The PURSUE video
will be ready for distribution Nov. 15.
PURSUE involves all School of Engineering departments and also has the commitment
and participation of biology, chemistry, earth and planetary sciences (with
the Institute of Meteoritics), mathematics, and physics and astronomy.
The program assisted in the development of several Regener Hall physics experiments
demonstrations, which are available for high school science teachers.
Other projects include the development of greenhouse environmental control,
enhancement of electronics laboratory, integration of freshman lecture and laboratory
in chemistry, computer visualization of physical chemistry, fluid mechanics
studies for aerodynamic flow control, a search for extrasolar planets, laser
refrigeration in solids, studies of strong forces, avian ecology of Chaco Canyon,
cooperative microsatellite array, and seasonal geochemical response of a shallow
alluvial aquifer.
All the PURSUE faculty are committed to the integration of their cutting edge
research findings into the undergraduate curriculum.
The program is funded by a $2.5 million grant from NASA Minority University
Research and Education Division (MURED) in collaboration with New Mexico Highlands
University, Technical Vocational Institute, and Southwestern Indian Polytechnic
Institute. PURSUE K-12 partner schools include Bernalillo Public Schools and
Los Lunas Manzano Vista Middle School. Professors David Kauffman and Laura Crossey
are the program PI for education and PI for research, respectively.
Vadiee said that 75 percent of the funds go toward student stipends, travel
expenses, and project supplies and equipment while the remainder goes toward
the administration and upkeep of the program.
NASA PAIR program was amazed that we supported 300 students, Vadiee
said, adding that the program taps into UNMs resources and research infrastructure
and doesnt have to hire faculty to lead students. Vadiee said the program
funds mini-grants for new faculty, which in turn helps them to bring other research
grants.
The deadline for the submission of the PURSUE project renewal package as well
as request for funding new PURSUE projects is Thursday, Nov. 15. The spring
funding cycle is Jan. 15 - May 15, 2002.
For more information visit http://pursue.unm.edu.
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University of New Mexico Albuquerque, New Mexico USA Copyright ©1998 The University of New Mexico. Comments to: paaffair@unm.edu |
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