Open to colleges and universities throughout the United States

Washington, DC (June 10, 2000) - The Merck/AAAS Undergraduate Science Research Program (USRP) will be expanded to a national competitive awards program available throughout the United States. The primary purpose of the program, which is funded by The Merck Company Foundation and administered by AAAS, is to support interdisciplinary research experiences for undergraduate students in chemistry and biology. The expansion will begin in 2001 and continue through 2009.

The program is currently available in 12 northeastern / mid-Atlantic states, but with the expansion will be available throughout the United States with the next competition. Up to 15 new awards will be made each year from 2001 through 2009. Each award will provide $20,000 per year for up to three years, and is intended for joint use by the biology and chemistry departments at the college or university receiving the award.

"By taking the program to the national level, we hope to support more interdisciplinary research by students in chemistry and biology and encourage students to pursue graduate education and careers in these fields," said Shirley Malcom, director of Education and Human Resources at AAAS. "Its important that we build bridges between these two fields of science and encourage scientific advancement in those areas."

Specifically, the program is designed to encourage graduate education in the sciences through undergraduate research experiences that forge interdisciplinary relationships between biology and chemistry. The awards also support symposia, lecture series and workshops designed to bridge the chemical and biological sciences.

The program was launched in 1993 to promote undergraduate research experiences at the interface of chemistry and biology. The program emphasizes student engagement in research across disciplinary boundaries, which is a reality in the pharmaceutical in
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Contact: Laura Humphrey
lhumphre@aaas.org
202-326-6431
American Association for the Advancement of Science
9-Jul-2000