We’re proud to be the kind of university that makes hands-on research accessible for all students, especially when our professors seek ways to reach even more. The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year, $135,000 grant to assistant professor of biology Kristine Grayson for a collaborative project aiming to increase opportunities for meaningful research experiences for undergraduate students.

The grant will focus on applying Grayson’s research on eastern red-backed salamanders to expand educational strategies, using the course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURE) model to create opportunities across the biology curriculum. The model engages entire classes of students in researching a question of interest to the scientific community.

“Recent evidence suggests CURE models are excellent examples of active learning that engage students in the practice of science and lead to increased persistence of students in STEM disciplines,” Grayson said. 

Congratulations, Kristine!