Professors teach students about science every day in classrooms across the country, but some professors at Michigan State University have taken the next step in providing a summer of hands-on science as part of a program funded by the National Science Foundation.

Undergraduate students from colleges in Michigan and the United States and secondary school science teachers from Michigan participate in plant genomics at MSU. The 10-week program pairs genomics laboratory staff with college students and high school science teachers where they learn about plant genomics.

“We trained a large number of students from all over the country,” program director Linda Savage said. “We brought a very diverse group together in labs from all different backgrounds. It was cool to see kids light up about graduate school. It was something some of them had never thought of before.”

The participants were immersed in primary research and mentored by graduate students, postdoctoral researchers and professors while working in one of the 16 participating biochemistry labs on campus. The group met weekly for faculty research presentations to learn about other research going on and they got together for social events.

Since the program started in 2006, more than 37 undergraduates have spent their summer living and working at MSU. In 2007, the program opened up to high school teachers and a small number of faculty members from primarily undergraduate-serving colleges and universities.

“We give people who don’t normally have an opportunity to have these experiences a chance to rekindle or establish excitement in plant genomics,” said Rob Last, professor of biochemistry and molecular biology. “There is a tremendous amount of plant genomics expertise here at MSU that we can share.”

The program is primarily funded by a variety of NSF grants, and provides experience in biochemistry labs as well as the Plant Research Laboratory, Department of Horticulture and Department of Plant Biology.