2016FOCUSS Researchers

Early Undergraduate Research at Fort Lewis College and San Juan College

General information: The FOCUSS program is an NSF-funded initiative of Fort Lewis College and San Juan College. Its goal is to increase the number of students who graduate from FLC with STEM degrees (Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Geology, Math, and Physics), and to increase the numbers of SJC students who continue their STEM education at four-year colleges.

The FOCUSS Scholars program pays FLC and SJC students to do research with FLC and/or SJC faculty members during the summer.

Who is eligible to apply:

SJC: students who are interested in science, engineering, or math

FLC: freshmen and sophomores (fewer than 60 credit hours completed at the end of fall semester 2015).

What you will be paid: $12/hour, for a total of $2880 for six weeks of work.

When is the work: See descriptions of projects for details about the work schedule. Most projects require six weeks of work, 8 am – 4 pm, Monday-Friday. However, field-based projects have different schedules as needed for the research.

What projects are available: See the list of projects for full details. In 2016, projects are available in biology, chemistry, engineering, and math.

Housing information:

Students working in Durango may be housed on-campus during their project. Students may also live off-campus in Durango or Farmington or may commute to Durango or Farmington.The grant will pay for on-campus housing or help offset the cost of commuting (if your project is at the other institution). The deadline to commit to on-campus summer housing is March 29, 2016. Please indicate if you would like more information about either of the following housing or travel options:

Interested in on-campus housing at Fort Lewis College (6 weeks, Mears Apartment, shared room, paid for by the grant)

SJC students only: Plan on commuting($500 stipend for the six week period)

FOCUSS Student Application for Summer Research

Return application by Thursday, February18, to Christina Vaughan (Berndt 170)

Name______Student ID #______

Local Address (on or off campus) ______Phone______

______

Email Address______

Permanent Address______Cell Phone______

______

Male

Female Date of Birth______

U.S. Citizen: ___Yes ___No Permanent Resident of U.S.: ___Yes ___No

Ethnicity (select as many as apply; leave blank if you choose not to report):

White

American Indian or Alaskan Native

Asian

Black or African American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Hispanic

College:

San Juan College

Fort Lewis College

Major:

Year in college:

What math, science, and engineering courses have you taken in college?

Credit hours completed by end of Fall 2015:

Names(s) of faculty members who could serve as a reference:

III. FOCUSS Project Information

1. Please describe a challenge that you have faced, and what you did to overcome that challenge.

2. List the projects you would like to apply for, starting with the project you are most interested in:

1)______

2)______

3)______

3. Please explain why these projects appeal to you:

FOCUSS (Four Corners Undergraduate STEM Success) is funded by an NSF-STEP grant to Fort Lewis College and San Juan College.