As a chemical biology faculty member at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2009-2011, Cheri Barta, PhD, got a peek into the inner workings of the NE-INBRE program.
And she liked what she saw.
“The impact of the faculty-funded research that engages students in a way that helps them be scientists is impressive,” Dr. Barta said.
It was something Dr. Barta never forgot as she moved on in her career to become the director of undergraduate research in the department of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
“Exposure is key,” said the newest member of the NE-INBRE External Advisory Board.
The NE-INBRE program does that and more.
In her role at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Barta said she focuses on how to enrich the overall research experience.
“What I’ve learned is that creating the opportunity for undergraduate students to do research is one thing. But there is support that is needed within that experience as well,” she said.
That means not only providing financial support for faculty researchers but also creating mentoring opportunities for the students.
“Research shows that it is not only the type of research the student does, but it is the mentorship that makes the biggest impact on whether a student persists,” Dr. Barta said.
Mentor training also is a big part of her program, along with studying the impact of undergraduate research on students, the mentorship they receive and how that impacts their retention and interest in future research careers.
Dr. Barta hopes her unique perspective on undergraduate research, the mentor-mentee relationship and how well undergraduate students are supported through their academic journey will enrich the perspectives of the external advisory board.
“I’m hoping to fill in those cracks and meet an unmet need on the board,” she said.
In the end, Dr. Barta said she is excited to be able to give back to the state she grew up in.
Dr. Barta graduated with her undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry and minor in biology.
“The intersection between biology and chemistry is something I’ve always been fascinated with,” she said.
Dr. Barta received her doctoral degree in bioinorganic chemistry from the University of British Colombia in Vancouver, Canada, and spent two years as a chemical biology professor at UNK.
Today she lives in Madison, Wisconsin with her husband, Nick Rossi, director of chemistry for a local biotech company; and three children -- Evelyn, 10, Amelie, 8 and Henry, 5.