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Undergrad Students Cap Summer Research in Neuroscience at UI

July 27, 2005

MOSCOW, Idaho – The second annual Microelectronics Research and Communications Institute’s Neuroscience Research Experiences for Undergraduates program at the University of Idaho culminates July 29 with presentations by 13 participants. The free event will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Clearwater Room in the UI Commons.

Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the program encourages students to pursue graduate degrees in science. Participants from the eight-week program focused on neuroscience, biology, chemistry, psychology and computer science.

"We’ve been pleased to attract a strong group of undergraduates from around the country," said Richard Wells, director of the Laboratory for Computational Neuroscience and Technology Research. "We delved into such studies as characterization of small ear bones that might diagnose early signs of osteoporosis, regeneration of retinas and theoretical studies of the brain and spinal system."

The summer program also included weekly REU research forums, lunches with professionals and academics, evening dinner seminars and workshops led by faculty mentors.

MRCI develops technologies in microelectronics, power electronics, microwave ferrite research, battery development, intelligent control, computer security, communications systems and neural networks. Much of this research and development is performed by the Center for Intelligent Systems Research, the Center for Secure and Dependable Systems, and the Center for Microelectronics and Signal Processing.

The participants in this year’s program include:

Idaho

BOISE - Timothy Montoya and Christina Velten

CALDWELL - Kristine Husler

COEUR D’ALENE - Cameron Meredith

IDAHO FALLS - Richard Blatter

LEWISTON - Nicholas Armstrong and Michael Springs

PARMA - Brenda Arteaga

SUN VALLEY - Tshering Sherpa

Ohio

CINCINNATI - Tianlai Lu

Texas

HOUSTON - Stacy Cheng

Washington

OAK HARBOR - Elizabeth Scott

Wisconsin

MIDDLETON - Thomas Richner

Contact: Karen Cassil, MRCI Neuroscience REU Coordinator, (208) 885-4114, karen@csds.uidaho.edu; Joni Kirk, UI Communications, (208) 885-7725, joni@uidaho.edu. Also see the Web site at www.mrc.uidaho.edu/reu/

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JK-7/29/05-CS/ENGR