Wendy Dustman, Alexandra Kurtz, Rebekah Ward, Pratima Darr, Julie Shearer
Our purpose is to analyze undergraduate student attitudes toward science and research ownership via participation in a multi-institution and authentic hypothesis-driven research project (the Small World Initiative [SWI]), and to inspire biology majors to pursue graduate studies and careers in science and have an informed appreciation for the process of science. This project also addresses a global urgent health threat: the proliferation of bacterial resistance to currently available antibiotics. This issue also exemplifies international collaboration in the scientific community. The SWI project will make a significant contribution to 1) GGC's commitment to a 4-yr URE 2) GGC's national reputation for excellence in STEM education 3) improving our students' broader perspective of scientific collaboration 4) enhancing our students' marketable skill set and critical thinking abilities and finally, 5) aiding discovery of novel antibiotics for future pharmaceutical development.
