Two faculty members who have been outstanding research mentors for CU-Boulder's Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program will receive awards on Nov. 16 from Chancellor Richard L. Byyny and Dean Peter Spear of the College of Arts and Sciences.
Directed by Professor J. McKim Malville, the UROP program has been supporting undergraduate research on the CU-Boulder campus for 12 years. Since 1987, UROP has invested nearly $2 million in undergraduate research at CU-Boulder and now funds more than 400 undergraduate research projects each year with individual stipends, usually ranging from $750 to $1,500 per semester.
The first annual W.E. Briggs Awards for Faculty Mentorship of Undergraduate Research are named for the late William E. Briggs, a dean of the College of Arts and Sciences for 17 years. The 1999 awards will be given to Professor David Prescott of molecular, cellular and developmental biology and Professor Alex Cruz of environmental, population and organismic biology.
The presentation ceremony for Prescott and Cruz will be at 8 p.m. in room 100 of the Math Building, located just west of the Engineering Center. Each professor will receive $500 to be used for further support of undergraduate research.
"This new award is in honor of William Briggs, who guided the College of Arts and Sciences to its current status as a world-class institution for teaching and research," said Malville. Prescott and Cruz will speak briefly about their own experiences in guiding students in undergraduate research.
Both Prescott and Cruz have been highly successful in using undergraduates in their research, including involving undergraduate students as co-authors in publications and refereed professional journal articles.
"Undergraduate participation in faculty research is now increasingly viewed as the 聮cutting edge聮 of undergraduate education at American research universities," said Malville.
The Briggs Award was developed by UROP in conjunction with the Baker Residential Academic Program, which emphasizes the sciences and undergraduate research. UROP and Baker Hall will host a dinner for the Briggs family, friends and students prior to the award ceremony.