Our primary goal is to provide a mentoring program that actively engages undergraduate students in experimental design, project implementation, data analysis, interpretation and scientific communication of results from their research experience. The long-term goal of this program will be to encourage and prepare undergraduates to enter graduate school as experienced researchers. Recruiting for the program will begin with the Cornell University Institute for Biology Teachers. We will also work with Cornell University Admissions and the Office of Undergraduate Biology to identify potential mentoring program students. The proposed program will initially involve URM students in dolphin research as both field assistants and independent researchers. As students progress through the program they will build scientific and technical skills. They will then pass these skills on to the underclassmen through peer mentorship

Due to the size and complexity of Cornell, undergraduates often find it daunting to pursue independent research. Additionally, Cornell has a total undergraduate enrollment of 13,530, of which 11% self identify as under-represented minority (URM). The percentage of URM students is, however, much lower in the science departments on campus. For example, there are 1,405 students majoring in biology at Cornell, of those, 9% are under-represented. The majority of incoming URM freshmen in the biology major declare that they are pre-medical students. In 2007 Cornell had 31 URM students graduate and only one went on to a PhD program. Cornell University is a highly respected research institute with a competitive and productive graduate program. Support for this proposed mentoring project would allow Cornell to improve its ability to recruit and incorporate undergraduate students into the world-class research network the school has to offer.
Upon completion of our proposed mentoring program, students will have completed their Honors Thesis and have results that should earn them a position as first authors or co-authors on papers in major scientific journals. Students will graduate from our mentoring program skilled in science, technology, leadership and communication. We will encourage and help to facilitate their pursuit of graduate careers and maintain a support network for them after they leave Cornell.

I have had a long-standing passion for recruiting and training minority and underrepresented groups in the sciences. Before coming to Cornell, I worked with and helped underrepresented students to achieve success in biological academic and research programs. A few examples of my mentoring achievements include:
1. Organizing and presenting poster sessions featuring Community College biology student research projects on coral reef communities and dolphin behavior.
2. Directing under represented undergraduate and graduate student field research projects that resulted in student publications.
3. Developing and running a study abroad program that allowed inner-city community college students to study tropical marine ecology and dolphin behavior in Honduras. I worked with the under represented community college students to help them locate the funds to cover flights and program costs. Our most successful year resulted in full funding for all participants. While on the study abroad program students shared their knowledge and field experiences by teaching a conservation workshop to Honduran grade school children at the Roatan Bilingual School on the island of Roatan, Honduras. Final reports summarizing undergraduate behavioral studies examining the role of “aunties” in rearing dolphin calves were sent to the Honduran dolphin trainers. Their research results were also presented at a college sponsored poster session featuring undergraduate research.

Upon completion of the proposed mentoring program, the Cornell student participants will have completed their Honors Thesis and have results that should earn them a position as first authors or co-authors on papers in major scientific journals. We believe the research core of this program will prove to be a defining moment that will help shape the direction and success of their early scientific careers. Students will graduate from our mentoring program skilled in science, technology, leadership and communication. Their success will help to fuel not only their passion for science, but to help to recruit other future scientists. We will encourage and help to facilitate their pursuit of graduate careers and maintain a support network for them after they leave Cornell. All the mentors for this program have demonstrated a desire and skill for supporting their students after graduation, and at having made a positive impact on the direction and success of their advisee’s careers in science. Testimonials supporting this statement can be made available upon request.

Provide mentoring program that engages undergraduate students in experimental design, project implementation, data analysis, interpretation and scientific communication of results.