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Washington and Lee University

Washington and Lee University
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Howard Hughes Medical Institute Grant

Washington and Lee University has received a $1.3 million grant from the prestigious Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) to support the University’s undergraduate biological sciences programs.

The core features of the proposal:

  1. An HHMI Fellows Program will engage students in two years of study including research preparation, summer research, travel to laboratories and professional meetings, and on-campus programs. Click here to see a list of ongoing 2010 Spring/Summer Research Projects. Click here to start the Application Process.
  2. Two new faculty positions will add expertise and leadership in bioinformatics and computational biology. See the official job posting here. Current faculty will be able to attend workshops or visit other laboratories.
  3. Development of the bioscience curriculum to emphasize the interdisciplinary and quantitative nature of modern biology.  Recent articles: Advances in Computer Science Spur Changes to Curriculum at W&L and W&L Students Engineer Cyborg Grasshoppers.
  4. New service-learning courses will enable W&L students to develop science modules and teach them in local K-5 classrooms. Click here to see completed 2009 K-5 science course modules. W&L will offer a related Summer Science Institute for science instruction to local teachers.  Recent outreach: W&L Biology Class Combines Learning, Teaching.  See also: President Ruscio Talks Science.

    The members of the Advisory Committee are Helen I'Anson, Program Director and Biology/Neuroscience; Fred LaRiviere, Chemistry; Simon Levy, Computer Science; Tyler Lorig, Psychology/Neuroscience; David Marsh, Biology; Bill Hamilton, Biology; Irina Mazilu, Physics and Engineering; and Lena Ojure, Teacher Education.

    HHMI, a nonprofit medical research organization, is dedicated to discovering and disseminating new knowledge in the basic life sciences. Established in 1953 by the aviator and industrialist Howard Hughes, HHMI is one of the largest philanthropies in the world, with an endowment of $14.8 billion in 2005.