<p>"The largest portion of the grant will be used to bolster the College's Science Associates program..."</p>
<p>"Another large segment will support 30 science and engineering students per year who conduct laboratory research over the summer in close contact with professors."</p>
<p>"The grant will also expand the College's "Science for Kids" program."</p>
<p>"HHMI invited 224 undergraduate institutions to compete for the awards, and awarded $60 million in grants ranging from $700,000 to $1.6 million to 42 colleges in 21 states and Puerto Rico. Swarthmore is the only college to be funded at $1.6 million."</p>
<p>Pretty cool. Great for science majors (like me).</p>
<p>
[quote]
Four nights a week, teams of Swarthmore College students get together to puzzle over the scientific problems that their introductory biology professors have presented. Guided by juniors and seniors who've successfully navigated the introductory courses, these voluntary study groups have been wildly popular among students and faculty alike. </p>
<p>First offered in 2005, the study groups help students acquire crucial study skills, excel in class and learn to work together. At Swarthmore, the study groups have also increased the number of students who continue on to upper level science courses—particularly students from underrepresented minority groups. The program's success in the biology department encouraged Swarthmore to expand; the college will use part of its $1.6 million HHMI grant to extend the program to introductory courses throughout the Division of Natural Sciences and Engineering. </p>
<p>"The study groups facilitate the kind of collaborative learning that is typically absent in a large lecture course," says Kathleen King Siwicki, professor of biology and HHMI project director. "And, the program makes students feel like they have a home in the biology department." </p>
<p>Siwicki says the program is successful, at least in part, because it is voluntary. Students attend the sessions to solve challenge problems—assignments given by professors to help students prepare for biweekly quizzes. Snacks sweeten the deal. The result is that more than half of the students in introductory biology choose to attend at least one of the study groups every two weeks. Many students attend more frequently.
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<p>I think this is important to highlight. The cooperative nature of learning at Swarthmore is a companion piece to the "academic intensity" plotline.</p>
<p>There are two glaring omissions from this year's grant recepients: Pomona College and Williams College.</p>
<p>Pomona received $1.3 million in the last cycle (2004).</p>
<p>Williams has received major grants in all previous cycles (1991, 1993, 1996, 2000, and 2004). Nothing this year. I bet there is some serious finger-pointing. LACs don't want to miss out on HMMI grants.</p>
<p>I think this year's award makes Swarthmore the largest recepient of HMMI undergrad science funding. $6.6 million in the six award cycles since 1991.</p>
<p>The Howard Hughes Medical Institute is the second largest charity in the country, behind the Gates Foundation.</p>
<p>It started as a tax dodge. Hughes created the charity in 1953, with himself as the sole trustee, and gave HMMI sole ownership of all shares in his Howard Hughes Aircraft Company. HMMI did little or no research.</p>
<p>After his death (and years of estate wrangling), HMMI sold the aircraft company to General Motors for $5 billion and had an instant endowment generating enormous amounts of money that had to be spent on science research.</p>
<p>Not to take anything away from Swarthmore - receiving the largest grant is quite an honor. </p>
<p>There are, however, quite a few LACs on the list that are not located in the East - Calvin, Carleton, College of Charleston, College of Wooster, Davidson, Georgetown College, Gustavus Adolphus, Harvey Mudd, Hope College, Lewis and Clark, Morehouse, Oakwood, Occidental, Spelman, and Whitman - and many of their grants were also substantial.</p>