OGDEN --A grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) will help 10 college students from across the country conduct research at Weber State University this summer.
The NSF has awarded WSU more than $146,000 to support undergraduate research opportunities in and around the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Each student selected will receive a stipend of $3,250, along with $700 to cover research expenses. In addition, some money will be allocated to pay for students to travel to national research conferences to report their findings.
Applicants had to submit transcripts, two letters of reference and an essay on why they were interested in the program. The NSF grant asks that special consideration be given to African American, Hispanic or Native American applicants because those groups are underrepresented in science disciplines.
Three out of the 10 researchers selected each summer may be WSU students.
The selected students will spend 10 weeks at WSU. John Cavitt, co-director of the program, said, "They'll be conducting master's level research in a short period of time." Students will also take courses and workshops on the fundamentals of scientific research and take field trips to different parts of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem.