For several years Southwestern University has offered its undergraduate students opportunities to participate in a variety of scientific research projects alongside professors.

The Summer Collaborative Opportunities and Experiences program, or SCOPE, is an eight-week program funded by a Howard Hughes Medical Institute grant, and throughout the course of the program, the students work on projects in the fields of animal behavior, biology, chemistry and biochemistry, kinesiology, mathematics and computer science, and physics.

“[SCOPE] allows students to become more engaged [in what they are studying],” Program Coordinator Katie McCance said.

McCance also participated in the program as an undergraduate.

“I participated for two years while at Southwestern,” she said. “The program gives hands-on experience and can help determine future programs or careers for students to pursue.”

McCance said many students can also get the opportunity to have their work published in scientific journals.

This summer, 19 faculty members and 47 students participated in researching 18 projects on campus, McCance said.

Along with learning how to complete research, students are given the opportunity to prepare and present their research at regional and national conferences, said Kerry Bruns, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at Southwestern.

Bruns had two groups this summer working on projects related to synthesizing peptides to analyze their effectiveness as antimicrobial, antifungal and anticancer agents.

“We use research to teach [our students]. … We want students to get a good experience of how science works,” Bruns said. “I think they find out there is a whole lot more to what goes into research than they initially think.”

Bruns said undergraduate students at larger research institutions are sometimes left out of research opportunities in favor of graduate students.

“We are finding ways to support students in undergrad programs,” Bruns said. “This is research that could help them become health care professionals or researchers.”

One goal of the program is to also increase community outreach and engagement throughout the academic year, McCance said. SCOPE participants and other science students lead science demonstrations, conduct campus tours and eat lunch with children from local elementary schools.

Students participating in the program receive a stipend and free housing.