The Office of Undergraduate Research coordinates various activities in which all summer undergraduate research students are able to participate. The 2008 activities include:
- Welcome Pizza Party
- Brown Bag Lecture Series
- Tours of various research centers:
- Cyclotron Institute
- Immersive Visualization Center
- Microscopy and Imaging Center
- Offshore Technology Research Center (OTRC)
- OWN Low Speed Wind Tunnel
- Texas A&M Astronomical Observatory
- Final Poster Presentation/Reception
Suggestions for additional activities that you may coordinate or advertise to your students are:
The Rec Center is open on Memorial Day weekend and is an option for students who arrive early for the summer session. The Rec Center allows REU students who are enrolled at Texas A&M during the summer (thus have paid the Rec Center fee) to utilize the facility on Memorial Day even though they may not yet have their student ID’s. REU coordinators must e-mail their list of students to Evelyn Dorsey edorsey@rec.tamu.edu at the Rec Center. Students are then able to check-in at Member Services, where their name is verified on the list sent by their REU coordinator. Students will also need a picture ID in order to get into the building.
The Rec Center Outdoors Program is another option for students. http://recsports.tamu.edu/programs/Outdoors/index.html These activities are convenient because RecSports has already dealt with all the permission/liability issues that might inhibit individual REU programs from taking students on out-of-town trips.
- MSC institutes/galleries are excellent options for students interested in taking advantage of art/cultural collections on campus. All are located within the Memorial Student Center (MSC).
o The MSC L.T. Jordan Institute is located on the second floor (Room 223I) of the MSC. http://ltjordan.tamu.edu/collection/ The Institute is open M-F, 8am-5pm. Students may stop by the Institute at anytime; however, if more than two or three students want a tour at the same time, it is better to call Carol Galjour in advance to set-up a guided tour time. Her contact information is: 845-8770; galjour@msc.tamu.edu .
o The Forsyth Center Galleries are also located in the MSC. http://forsyth.tamu.edu. Be sure to call beforehand to check their summer hours. Students may stop by to tour the galleries at anytime. For guided tours, students may contact Cory Arcak at 845-9251; coryarcak@tamu.edu
o The J. Wayne Stark University Center Galleries are located in the northeast corner of the MSC. http://stark.tamu.edu/index.html Volunteer docents are available to give tours to groups of five or more people. Just call 845-8501 to make the arrangements. Two weeks notice is appreciated but not required.
- The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum is another museum option for students. Museum tours are self-guided, allowing students to visit the museum anytime during normal business hours. Admission is free for students enrolled at Texas A&M and only $3.00 for students with a valid student id from other institutions. If transportation is needed from the main campus over to the museum, students may ride a university bus. Be sure to check bus schedules and times at http://transport.tamu.edu/transit.aspx.
The George Bush Presidential Library and Museum has an annual 4th of July celebration and a Classic Film Series, both free of charge. For more information on events at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum, visit the website: http://bushlibrary.tamu.edu/museum/events.php.
