The science department's faculty-assisted science training program, or FAST, proves to be successful in providing students with invaluable learning experiences through practical research opportunities.
Established last year, the program gives students the opportunity to work one-on-one with a faculty mentor in planning and conducting scientific research. Church appropriated funds are also available to students for supplies, travel expenses and work compensation.
"Science training requires both classroom training and laboratory 'hands on' experience," explained Dr. Heaton, assistant professor of biochemistry and coordinator of FAST. "When students go to graduate school or gain employment, they are expected to have the ability to work independently.
"Some of this experience is gained in laboratories that accompany almost every major science class," he continued. "However, typical classroom laboratories do not give students the opportunity to develop some of the critical laboratory skills required."
The FAST program supplements classroom and laboratory curriculum to help students acquire those necessary skills by providing them with practical modern biotechnical and biomedical research experience that will help them gain employment and excel in international bioscientific careers.
The specific aims of the program are as follows:
- equip students with biotechnical/biomedical skills that can be used to gain employment or acceptance into graduate and professional schools in Asia and the south pacific
- elevate and maintain biotechnical competency of BYUH faculty in order to effectively train students
- create relationships between BYUH and international bioscientific companies and educational institutions
- educate students and faculty on international bioscientific opportunities
"I really am grateful for the FAST program," said Ruby Talataina, a senior from Samoa majoring in biochemistry. "My current senior research project is 'Intracellular location of copper in the cell of a Saccharomyces Cerevisiae,' and I have to travel to University of Hawaii, Manoa to conduct my research because of the equipment they have that I need for my project, and the FAST program pays for my travel as well as the people who help me there.
"It not only helps financially, but it's a great program in that it allows me to learn more through doing research," she continued. "There is a lot that one can learn outside of the classroom, and being able to conduct my own individual research through the FAST program, I gain a whole new better learning experience."
"The best way for students to develop important research skills is to work with a faculty mentor on current research projects," Heaton said. "By focusing on student/faculty interactions, the FAST program will help students become leaders in the global biotechnology industry, thus helping them contribute to the global church as productive world citizens."
Dr. David Jayme, professor of biochemistry who came to BYU-Hawaii just last semester, also esteems the FAST program very highly. In fact, he was "motivated to join the faculty and to contribute positively to this practical training and career preparation" offered by FAST.
"This substantial commitment of faculty and other university resources to preparing its future graduates for 'real life' experiences within the technical workforce or in preparation for advanced graduate and professional education is unparalleled," he said. "A graduating senior should emerge from the FAST program having gained fundamental experience through significant progress towards completion of a relevant project and with practical appreciation of applications of the scientific method to understanding and resolving practical issues through laboratory investigation."
"We are in the process of developing an excellent undergraduate science training program," concluded Heaton.