UNIVERSITY PARK (Centre
Co.) Throughout the academ
ic year, many undergraduate
students work in the laborato
ries of faculty as participants in
the Undergraduate Research
Program in Penn State's College
of Agricultural Sciences.
During the past two years,
more than 50 undergraduates
have learned many valuable
lessons by conducting research
projects. Research experience
helps them gain experience,
develop contacts and recommen
dations,for graduate school and
find career focus. Students
return the favor by being unique
assets to the research environ
ment.
"One benefit is that they're
an extra pair of hands that a
graduate student can work
with," said Robert Roberts,
assistant professor of food sci
ence. In his lab, students usual
ly start out doing clean-up and
basic prep work until they
demonstrate responsibility,
Robert said.
When students move on to
conduct experiments, they often
begin by working on projects
that are short-term, more
applied and less scientific. "I'm
able to give undergraduates pro-
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Undergraduates Bring Energy To Labs
jects that I know probably don't
have a good chance of working
out so we can get preliminary
data without making graduate
students worry about failing
their thesis," Roberts said.
Undergraduate researcher
Justin Comes, a senior in food
science, agrees that undergrad
uates are ideal for conducting
experiments that are not in
depth or involved enough for
graduate students.
"Undergraduates can test the
waters for future projects," said
Comes, who is working on toma
to compounds with Robert
Beelman, professor of food sci
ence. "It's exciting. I get thrown
a lot of new projects that may go
on to become more sophisticated
graduate student projects if they
show promise. A lot of them
don't work, though."
Gome's favorite part of
research isn't the experiments,
but the interaction with faculty.
Many undergraduate research
supervisors take pride in their
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teaching skills and enjoy taking
someone under their wing. "Just
from personal experience, the
lesson you get from faculty is
that they're just as human as
you—they make mistakes,” he
said. "It makes setting foot into
the research world seem less
intimidating."
The level of contribution that
undergraduates bring to a labo-
Miller to
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) - Lewis Miller, executive
vice-president of the
International Association of Fair
and Expositions (lAFE) will be
the keynote speaker at the 19th
annual meeting of the
Pennsylvania Ag Republicans.
His presentation is "Where to
Now?" The meeting will be at 3
p.m., Jan. 12 in Room B of the
Farm Show Building,
Harrisburg, in conjunction with
the Pennsylvania Farm Show.
Miller is a graduate of
Southwest Missouri State
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ratory depends on the individual
student's capabilities and per
sonality, but in general students
make the transition from course
work to lab work fairly easily,
said Daniel Fritton, professor of
soil physics. "They're helpful
and have a lot of energy, he said.
"They're an extra pair of hands
and an extra mind—that is
always helpful."
Keynote Ag Republicans
University, Springfield.
Following service is the US Air
Force, Miller served as farm ser
vice director of KWTO radio sta
tion until 1961. He worked for
Empire Bank until 1966 where
he created a farm credit depart
ment. Miller moved from that
position to become general man
ager of the Ozark Empire Fair
until 1979 at which time he
accepted his current position
with lAFE.
He is a recipient of FFA's cov
eted American Farmer Degree.
Miller has served as presi-
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Undergraduates do consume
more time and need more guid
ance because they’re not as
advanced as graduate
researchers, but most faculty
members are very willing to
have them in their labs.
"We don't have to have under
graduates in our laboratories"
Robert said, 'We do it because
we want to."
dent of the Missouri Association
of Fairs, president of the
Midwest Fairs Association and
numerous other organization.
Mill serves as a member of the
advisory board of the Ozark
Empire Fair.
Pennsylvania Ag Republicans
is an organization affiliated with
the Pennsylvania Republican
State Committee to encourage
Republicans involved in agricul
ture to be active in the political
process of the state. For addi
tional information contact:
Beverly Gruber, chairman, at
610-767-50ofi
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