Published on Howard Hughes Medical Institute Programs at University of Maryland (http://hhmi.umd.edu)

History

Since 1992, the University of Maryland has received five grants from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in support of undergraduate science education.


Grant Goals
Capstone Experiences for Undergraduates in the Biological Sciences(1992, $1.3M)
  • Provide opportunities for undergraduates to participate in faculty-mentored undergraduate research.
  • Revamp five upper-level laboratory courses to focus on modern methodologies and instrumentation.
Supporting a Developmental Continuum of Young Investigators at Maryland (1998, $1.6M)
  • Expand the undergraduate research program to allow up to three years of research involvement.
  • Develop a research preparatory course for freshmen (Catalyst Seminar)
  • Establish a Capstone award to enable students to present their research at professional meetings.
  • Offer a summer science enrichment program for high school students interested in science careers (Jump Start).
Research-Intensive Undergraduate Experiences and Outreach (2002, $1.8M)
  • Continue previous HHMI initiatives (high school outreach, Catalyst seminar, undergraduate fellowship program, Capstone awards for travel to meetings).
  • Expand outreach activities to create a summer science immersion program for middle school students (Science Explorers).
  • Host an annual science symposium for secondary school teachers.
  • Create a research-intensive undergraduate curriculum by revamping course sequences to introduce research methods at the introductory level and allow open-ended inquiry in subsequent courses.
  • Provide professional development opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral fellows by allowing them to participate in curriculum development (Teaching and Learning Fellows program).
Research-Intensive Undergraduate Experiences and Outreach (2006, $2M)
  • Sustain initiatives from previous grant terms.
  • Create a disciplinary Teaching and Learning Center to enhance professional development of graduate students (future faculty) and to support faculty involvement in curriculum reform
 (2010, $1.5M)
  • Partner with the nonprofit MDBio Foundation to bring its mobile laboratory to high schools throughout the state for one-week visits, to teach students to examine the impact of human activities on water quality in the Chesapeake Bay.

Source URL:
http://hhmi.umd.edu/about/history