UNT Research, Volume 21, 2012 Page: 47
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faculty members Michael Greig and John Ishiyama
in political science and Angela Wilson and Robby
Petros in rchrmil,,
2011, UNT offered three sites through
its departments of anthropology, chemis-
try and political science. Over the years,
the UNT sites have received more than
$2 million in NSF funding.
With the goal of expanding under-
graduate participation in all kinds of
research, NSF reviewers often give pri-
ority to proposals showcasing unique
fields. For example, the Department of
Anthropology's long-running REU Site
in Cultural Anthropology, which first
received funding in 1999, was one of only
three anthropology REUs in the nation in
summer 2011 and the only one focused
on cultural issues facing humans today.
Beverly Davenport, assistant pro-
fessor of anthropology and director of
UNT's anthropology REU from 2009 to
2011, says UNT's site also was distinc-
tive in another way.
"It's somewhat typical for students
to investigate problems related to the
director's research agenda, but our stu-
dents developed their own independent
research projects," she says.
The Department of Chemistry's
site, which started in 2004, focuses on
both traditional and emerging areas
of chemistry, including computational
chemistry - research conducted through
UNT's world-class Center for Advanced
Scientific Computing and Modeling.
And the Department of Political
Science's site, which began in 2010, is
one of only two political science REUs in
the nation and the only one for interna-
tional politics.
"That speaks highly of our depart-
ment," says John Ishiyama, professor of
political science and REU director. "We
have the only degree-granting program
in peace science in the Southwest and
some of the field's most noteworthy
scholars, so we're ideally positioned to
offer this program."MORE T' IAN AN IN IERNStilPI
The REU students - no more than
10 at each site - work with faculty men-
tors, learn to use research tools effectively
and focus on thinking analytically. They
complete enough original research to be
listed as authors or co-authors on papers
prepared for journals and may receive
stipends from the REUs to present their
research at professional conferences.
"We want their time here to result
in something more than just a lab intern-
ship," says Angela Wilson, Regents
Professor of chemistry and director of the
chemistry REU. "The REU experience
rolls off the resume as prior participants
progress in their careers, but a listing as a
co-author of a scientific journal publica-
tion is more permanent."
All of UNT's REU sites have admit-
ted applicants from universities across
the nation. Barbara Walton was a junior
at Central Connecticut State University
when she attended the chemistry REU in2007. She focused on analytical chemis-
try with applications in forensics, work-
ing in the lab of Guido Verbeck, assistant
professor of chemistry. She became the
co-author of a paper published in the
Journal of Forensic Science in 2010.
Now a chemistry doctoral student at
UNT, Walton says attending the REU
also offered her a chance to learn more
about graduate school, since Central
Connecticut State doesn't have a chemis-
try graduate program.
"Working in Dr. Verbeck's research
group definitely influenced my decision
to come back to UNT," says Walton,
who plans a career as a researcher and
faculty member.
Ti CHANCEE TOS I lINE
Doug Henry, associate professor
of anthropology who served as director
or co-director of the anthropology REU
for nine years, says receiving 12 years of
funding for the site was unusual.UN'I RESEARCH 2'12 47
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University of North Texas. UNT Research, Volume 21, 2012, periodical, 2012; Denton, Texas. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc115035/m1/47/: accessed April 19, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting University Relations, Communications & Marketing department for UNT.