Preparing Your Students for the Future - Undergraduate Research Experiences

 

Tested Studies in Laboratory Teaching, 2018, Volume 39

Dan Lauffer, Paul Williams, Hedi Baxter Lauffer, & Jackson Hetue

Abstract

Undergraduate research experiences are valuable for all students, both science majors and nonmajors. Engaging in undergraduate research experiences provides unique problem-solving and innovation opportunities that can help build proficiency for professional excellence in any career. Wisconsin Fast Plants and other Rapid-Cycling Brassicas—with their short life cycles, genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity—are ideal organisms for both short- and long-term undergraduate research projects and independent studies. The Wisconsin Fast Plants Program staff and its research seed stock collection, the Rapid-Cycling Brassica Collection, are dedicated to supporting undergraduate research and education initiatives by supplying seed varieties of Rapid-Cycling Brassicas, background information, protocols, relevant existing data sets and on-line mentoring and support.

Keywords:  Fast Plants, undergraduate research, artificial selection, Brassica, plant breeding, plant growth and development

University of Wisconsin, Madison (2017)