Messenger - Vol. 3, No. 4, Page 19 Summer 1994 Undergraduates gain skills and confidence in UD labs Senior Jeannine Ray of Wilmington, Del., may be studying turtles, but there's nothing slow about the pace of her research. In the School of Life and Health Sciences, she is investigating two types of receptors in the turtle's vascular system. By allowing certain hormones to bind with targeted tissue cells, the Type I and Type II receptors control blood pressure and other critical functions. Little is known about the Type II receptor, and Ray wants to learn more about how this control mechanism evolved, and how it responds to various stimuli. Such basic research might someday help scientists develop better drugs to treat high blood pressure in humans. It's an ambitious project for any investigator-especially, perhaps, for an undergraduate like Ray, who launched her research two years ago, as a sophomore. Ray is one of roughly 400 students now participating in the University's highly regarded Undergraduate Research Program, which provides hands-on laboratory experience for highly motivated candidates. Sponsored by the University Honors Program, undergraduate research opportunities are open to all interested students. In exchange for service on research teams supervised by faculty mentors, most students receive between one and six academic credits per semester. Some student researchers also earn grants or stipends, explains coordinator Joan Bennett. "Through this program, students gain the fundamental skills and insight they need to investigate genuine research questions," Bennett says. "Hands-on research also builds self-confidence in students, and prepares them for a career in an academic or industrial setting." A variety of scholarships support undergraduate research across many disciplines-from chemistry to art history, from political science to engineering. In 1994, for example, the University will award science and engineering scholarships worth $2,500 each to about 50 enthusiastic undergraduates. Students also may apply for summer incentive awards that range from $300-$500. Expenses associated with student research can be covered by grants of up to $150 per semester, or up to $250 if a senior thesis is involved. Last year, the program awarded $18,167 in supply and expense grants and an additional $163,300 in research scholarships to undergraduate researchers. As a Science Scholar in 1992, Ray completed an intensive 10-week apprenticeship directed by Gregory A. Stephens, associate director of the School of Life and Health Sciences. She also served as a research assistant at the Medical School of Imperial College at the University of London, as part of the UD's summer undergraduate research exchange program, which receives support from Zeneca Pharmaceuticals of Wilmington. Tackling real-world problems "When students complete their undergraduate research," Stephens says, "their employers or graduate advisers don't want to know how many facts they memorized in class. They need to know if their students can deal with real-world problems." Eric Wetzel's research could help solve a problem common to the defense, automotive and aerospace industries. A junior from Allentown, Pa., Wetzel is developing better methods for fusion-bonding of composite. Composites are materials that combine two or more components to yield characteristics superior to any one of the individual constituents. The project began in 1992, when Wetzel was selected as an Engineering Scholar in the Center for Composite Materials. "Whenever composites are used in assemblies of any kind-from aircraft to automobiles-bonding presents many challenges," Wetzel says. "We're working with an innovative thermoplastic adhesive. Our goal is to achieve a strong, durable bond without burning or degrading the bonded composites." Each year, the Center for Composite Materials provides cross- disciplinary research opportunities for about 30 undergraduates, according to John W. Gillespie Jr., the center's associate director. Sophomores focus on fundamental lab techniques and computer skills, while more advanced students pursue independent projects. Wetzel is now developing numerical models and conducting experiments using the University's patented welding system as a testbed. In the future, he may work directly with an industrial sponsor interested in developing the new adhesives. "It's very rewarding to watch students enter the program early in their undergraduate careers," Gillespie says. "We see them grow and mature to become independent researchers." After graduation, Wetzel intends to pursue a career as an applied researcher, solving mechanical engineering problems. For Ray, the future is still wide open. "I might combine a career in medicine with clinical research," she says. "That way, I could apply what I've learned in class and also take advantage of my research experience." -Ginger Pinholster