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CORVALLIS - A group of 35 undergraduate students will receive fellowships to conduct original research in the biological sciences this summer at Oregon State University, with support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and other agencies.

This program allows each student to work with a faculty mentor, conduct studies and present their research findings at the end of summer in a symposium. It has been extraordinarily popular and provides a great boost to students who hope to pursue careers in science, OSU officials say.

"OSU has long recognized the unique educational value of an individual research experience," said Kevin Ahern, the faculty coordinator for the program. "The Howard Hughes grant substantially increases the number of students who are able to participate in this intense, full-time experience, and work closely with their mentors."

Support from the program comes primarily from a four-year, $1.9 million grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which tries to enhance the teaching of biological sciences to college and pre-college students. This is the fifth year the undergraduate research component of the program has been offered at OSU, providing the students $320 a week for their 11-week research program.

Additional support has also come from other OSU departments and programs, the National Science Foundation and numerous research grants.

The participating students from Oregon and their OSU mentors this year include:

• ALBANY: Vincent Lew, a biology major working with Mark Leid; Blake Miller, a general science major working with Chris Mathews; and James Proeston, a biochemistry and biophysics major working with Sonia Anderson.
• ASHLAND: Heather Bolstad, a biochemistry and biophysics major working with Joe Beckman.
• BEAVERTON: Nancy Lee, a biochemistry and biophysics major working with Chris Mathews; and Nima Motamedi, a biochemistry and biophysics major working with Luiz Bermudez.
• CLACKAMAS: Lisa Bauer, a microbiology major working with Theo Dreher.
• CORVALLIS: Joshua Cuperus, a microbiology major working with Walt Ream; and Daniel Jones, a biology major working with Ian Fleming.
• EUGENE: Natalie Biggs, a biology major working with Joe Beckman.
• FLORENCE: Buck Wilcox, a biology major working with Dahong Zhang.
• GRANTS PASS: Cliff Gagnier, a microbiology major working with Dennis Hruby.
• GRESHAM: Stacy Hill, a biology major working with Andrew Buermeyer.
• HILLSBORO: Kathy Van Wormer, a chemistry/botany major working with John Loeser.
• LAKE OSWEGO: Heidi Schmidt, a bioengineering major working with Skip Rochefort.
• MILWAUKIE: Katie Miles, a biology major working with Frank Moore.
• NORTH BEND: Brett Palama, a biochemistry and biophysics major working with Andrew Buermeyer.
• PORTLAND : Jennie Hines, a biochemistry and biophysics major working with John Fowler.
• RAINIER: Derek Youngblood, a biochemistry and biophysics major working with Andy Karplus.
• SANDY: Erin Breck, a zoology major working with Bruce Menge.
• SPRINGFIELD: Tanja Homrichhausen, a bioengineering major working with Hiro Nonogaki.
• THE DALLES: Melinda von Borstel, a nutrition and food management major working with Teresa Filtz.
• WALDPORT: Kevin Hockett, a microbiology major working with Virginia Stockwell.
• WESTON: Denise Baumann, a bioresource research, crop and soil science major working with Sujaya Rao.
• WINSTON: Virginia Slater, a biology/microbiology major working with Terri Lomax.
• YAMHILL: Eli Moore, a bioresource research, chemistry major working with Staci Simonich.