Proposals

Abstract

The School of Environmental and Forest Sciences (SEFS) is home to many undergraduate and graduate students working on a broad range of projects to fulfill internships, research assistantships, capstone projects, master's theses, and doctoral dissertations. The student community invests in collaborative efforts that stretch outside of the department and even outside of the College of Environment. Many of these projects are exploring questions at the molecular level, which requires a well-equipped molecular lab. Over the last 10-15 years, the demand for these types of labs has grown exponentially, as many research ideas and questions would not be able to be executed without them. In 2016, STF funded a grant (2016-27) that allowed SEFS to open a shared student molecular laboratory, which has been very successful. Under the oversight of Professor Prugh and the lab manager, this shared lab has provided an inclusive environment where students can implement their protocols and complete projects without being charged a cost-per-use fee. However, as molecular technology advances, so do protocols/techniques. Many of these advancements require equipment that was not originally purchased. We request funds to secure the equipment needed for students to sufficiently obtain and validate molecular-based data. This grant is student driven and is supported by faculty and staff. All requested items are based on student feedback from the last two years.