May 22, 2017
Lincoln, Neb. — The University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s Jing Zhang is part of a project to help enhance college student learning through course-based research experiences. The project is funded by a $598,666 grant from the National Science Foundation.
Zhang is an assistant professor of practice in the Department of Biochemistry. The three-year project will involve a team of 15 faculty members from 12 institutions, including research universities, undergraduate-focused universities and community colleges.
The proposal, entitled "An Interdisciplinary Faculty Community Using a Protein-focused Course Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) to Improve Student Learning," will be directed by the University of San Diego. CUREs are designed to provide broader research exposure to more students than current apprenticeship and internship models.
To obtain data that will facilitate the creation of effective and efficient new CUREs across fields, two aspects of CURE frameworks will be tested in 56 CUREs courses involving about 1,000 students at participating universities.
“The aim of this project is to transform the impact of teaching laboratories at participating institutions by incorporating quantitative, authentic research into the classroom and curriculum,” said Ellis Bell, faculty member at the University of San Diego.
Participating faculty and universities include:
- Ellis Bell, University of San Diego (principal investigator)
- Joseph Provost, University of San Diego (co-principal investigator)
- Jessica Bell, University of San Diego (co-principal investigator)
- Anthony Bell, University of San Diego
- Kristin Fox, Union College
- Kevin Callahan, St. John Fisher College
- Laura Christian, West Virginia University
- David Hecht, Southwestern Community College
- Kate Huisinga, Malone University
- Tamara Mans, North Hennepin Community College
- Amy Parente, Mercyhurst
- Celeste Peterson, Suffolk University
- John Rakus, Marshall University
- Amy Springer, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Assistant Professor of Practice
Department of Biochemistry
402-472-2245
jkelling2@unl.edu