Bringing students into faculty research
Dr. Scott Ferguson works with a student in a lab
ABOUT THE NURTURING INNOVATION CAMPAIGN
Faculty research is an important aspect of teaching at Fredonia. Dr. Scott Ferguson makes sure his students are involved in that research.
Which is why when he received a grant from Fredonia alumna Dr. Diane Pennica to conduct a research project, he wanted to have some of his upper level students conduct the lab work with him.
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The research was to find out how different stimuli bring about changes within a cell.
Rather than me doing the research cloistered away in my lab by myself, I took it into the lab where we had 15 different students each testing a different variable. Then we compared the results at the end, which really reflects the way that science is done in the real world.
Dr. Scott Ferguson is an Associate Professor of Biology at Fredonia, with a focus on Molecular Genetics. He is the inaugural recipient of the Diane Pennica Faculty Research Award, and says he plans to continue finding more ways to include students in his research projects.
"When they grow up and they're going to be a researcher, or a doctor, it's not going to be a canned experiment, it's going to be different every time. So involving them in real research as part of their normal curriculum is what really sets Fredonia apart."
Dr. Ferguson is truly grateful for the financial support given by Dr. Pennica because it really benefits the students at Fredonia by creating new learning opportunities.
