Summer research program BEST-TERP Lab fills 'obvious gap in the training of educators'
ENVISION Magazine, 2006

Studying trout brain function or chasing turtles with radio transmitters strapped to their shells may not be the stuff of typical summer vacations, but for participants in a popular UW-Whitewater summer research program, those activities are all the rage.

Thanks to biology professor Michael Woller, who in 2004 wrote and received the grant for the Biology Educator and Student Training-Team Experience in Research Program (BEST-TERP), people who may not normally get hands-on science experience can now do so.

Woller said he targets four groups for the 10-week program: practicing high school science teachers, future high school science teachers, minority students and students with disabilities.

"Getting a degree in education in the sciences generally requires five years of coursework...Few have the opportunity while students to participate in undergraduate research," Woller said. "We felt this was an obvious gap in the training of educators and wanted to provide this opportunity."

More importantly, Woller said, students who participate in BEST-TERP create a "real culture of quality work within our department."

"That has infl uenced not only the quality of their own work but also has provided positive peer pressure that has led to a very active undergraduate research core of students at UW-Whitewater." – Amanda Kramer