I believe strongly in providing undergraduate students an opportunity to do discovery science. Please contact me if you are interested in learning more about my research and how you can get involved at lalberg@zoology.ufl.edu .  I mentor a group of talented individuals who are assisting with different aspects of my dissertation project.  Below are the titles of individual projects and techniques utilized.

Sasha Strul:  "Progesterone receptor expression in the chick chorioallantoic membrane during embryonic development." Molecular cloning, PCR, and quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR)            
Jacob Fyda:  "Localization of 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase in the chick chorioallantoic membrane."  Molecular cloning, PCR, histology, and in situ hybridization.      
Kasey Fu:     "Morphological changes in the chick chorioallantoic membrane associated with mifesprone (RU-486) exposure."  Histology.

Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program (URAP)

The Undergraduate Research Assistantship Program (URAP) at the University of Florida provides research opportunities for  undergraduates.  Faculty and Graduate students post advertisements that are updated at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. Current research openings in the Zoology Department can be viewed at http://www.zoo.ufl.edu/urap/

HHMI G.A.T.O.R Research Program

The G.A.T.O.R., or Group Advantaged Training of Research Program brings together graduate students, undergraduates, and high school students who work together in research teams under the guidance of faculty advisors.  The goal of the Program is to provide mentoring experience and support for graduate students and faculty, while providing younger students with outstanding personal opportunities to learn about the process of scientific research.  http://www.zoo.ufl.edu/hhmi/about.html

Advice for undergraduate students: how to get started in research 
Approaching a potential research mentor: Approaching a potential advisor about research opportunities can be intimidating for undergraduate and graduate students alike. It is important to do some homework about that person prior to your first meeting.  To do this, visit your potential mentor's website. Learn about their research questions and the techniques used in their lab. Take the initiative to get online and do some background digging about the type of research done by this person.  This will give you some starting material for your initial conversation and demonstrate that  your are self-motivated and interested in their line of research. Be prepared to ask a few questions about the work that goes on in the lab. What's important here is to show that you are inquisitive, not an expert.  Keep in perspective that you're talking to the expert and they have the opportunity to teach you how to do science.  Research mentors are busy people- it is always a good idea to send an email following your meeting, thanking that person for their time.

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