WISE Women Undergraduate STEM Summer Research to be Showcased

Initiated and administered by the WISE Committee, the Research Experience for Women Undergraduates (REWU) program encourages and enables the participation of talented young women in ongoing research. This year’s participants will be presenting their research findings during a special event on

Thursday, July 27, from noon to 5 p.m. in Room 427 of the Engineering Research Center

on the Clifton West Campus.

The goals of the REWU program are to expose students to various aspects of scientific research and to encourage the pursuit of advanced studies in science, mathematics and engineering.

This summer, the program has 21 students working on research projects in anthropology, biology, chemistry, communication sciences and disorders, engineering, geology, mathematics, physics, psychology, nursing, pediatrics, social sciences (out of the Clermont campus) and science and health (also Clermont). The program also offers workshops on topics pertaining to the research process and other important topics such as leadership skills, learning styles, mentoring workshops and preparation for graduate school.

Beginning in May, each student had a rare opportunity to conduct research alongside an experienced faculty mentor and researcher on ongoing projects. Each young woman was given a stipend of $4,500 to carry out her research. In addition to the benefit of performing research as an undergraduate, students also could opt to have the program constitute one of their normal co-op experience semesters, with one additional week of research commitment.

Women in Science and Engineering has earned its success by embedding in it a win-win proposition – while exposing young students to the world of research, it also forces the faculty researcher to distill complex projects into smaller, more focused blocks. One mentor reflects, “It is one of the best programs for interacting with undergraduate students who are very passionate about projects, willing to learn beyond the scope of classroom material, and able to take charge and responsibility for their work.”

“Participation in research projects is a significant factor in increasing student retention and in encouraging talented students to excel," said Urmila Ghia, professor emerita and chairwoman of the WISE program.

"It enhances the students’ overall educational experience, initiates a network with a faculty member and the associated lab personnel and helps them grow professionally. These talented and dedicated young women are the bright future of STEM fields. This summer marks 19 years of WISE promoting research amongst women undergraduates.”

The WISE Committee cordially invites you to attend the Research Experience for Women Undergraduates student presentations. Each of the 21 students will give presentations of about 10 minutes apiece. The program should conclude around 5 p.m. Please plan to stay for as many presentations as your schedule permits. For more information, contact Margaret Hanson by email at

Margaret.hanson@uc.edu

or at 513-556-5896.

For more information on the program, please visit:

http://www.wise.uc.edu/rewu.php.