Unique program brings grad students together to compare notes
A new program beginning at USU that brings graduate students together to collaborate across several scientific disciplines is one of the first of its kind.
Six students were awarded a total of $40,960 in grants through the Center for Integrated Biosystems and were honored at a banquet Thursday. As grant recipients, the students will meet monthly to compare how their master’s and doctorate research projects are going. Through this collaboration, they can benefit from each other’s findings and apply them to their own studies.
Students who received grants were Ryan Jackson, of the biochemistry department; Jillian Guttormsen, of the bioveterinary science department; Jared Ervin, of the civil and environmental engineering department; Michelle Mendenhall, of the bioveterinary science department; Mingxiang Liang, of the plants, soils and climate department; and Whitney Wooderchak of the chemistry and biochemistry department.
Bart Weimer, director of the CIB, said the program centers around having a little extra funding for research projects as well as giving a boost to graduate programs.
The program is built off the success of a seed grant program for faculty. The mandate, along with the provided money, is to support biotechnology research broadly across campus, Weimer said.
Graduate student collaboration and discussion between disciplines is usually encouraged but not formalized, Weimer said.
“I don’t know of any (other program) that has this organization,” he said.
Carol Achziger, group leader for the business and grants office of CIB, said, “This is pretty unique. (Though) some schools are starting to go toward this sort of program.”
Eleven students applied for the grants from several different departments. Ken White, associate director for research at CIB, said the common thread among the various research projects funded through CIB is some relation to biotechnology. This field can have applications in many disciplines, including chemistry and biochemistry, biology, plants, soils and biometeorology, nutrition and food science, civil and environmental engineering and computer science.
“In this day and age,” White said, “you need people with (lots of different backgrounds), bringing expertise that helps projects move down the track faster and get funding more easily.”
Achziger said, “It’s hard to get funding without having a collaborative project.”
Jackson, who is working on his PhD, said in the past, scientists have been very careful about keeping to themselves to prevent others from stealing their ideas.
“When we get together and share ideas, it’s better for science and for humanity as a whole,” he said. “I think it’s a really neat opportunity.”
Jackson received a $6,000 grant, which he said is very helpful in several ways.
“We can spend $6,000 in a week,” he said.
Being part of a program like this also looks good on a resume and is important practice for generating money as a scientist, Jackson said.
“If you’re going to be a scientist, you have to be able to get money from somewhere, so this is good practice as a student,” he said.
Applicants were required to submit a one-page description of their projects and needs, including their hypothesis and budget. They also needed a letter of support from their faculty mentors.
“We wanted this first year to fund as many as we could,” Achziger said, “but we didn’t want to throw money away. We hope in the future to have more applications.”
-elizabeth.lawyer@aggiemail.usu.edu