The Thrill of Discovery You don't need to travel the world to explore new areas. Just ask Chris Shoemaker, a microbiology major. After studying abroad for a semester, Shoemaker came back to Oxford to make discoveries of his own in a Miami University lab. Shoemaker was one of three Miami students selected for the 2005-2006 Beckman Scholar program—an award that recognizes undergraduates conducting research in the biological sciences and chemistry. Shoemaker is studying a dental pathogen and the factors causing a common oral infection. Throughout the academic year, his work will focus on discovering genes in Actinobacillusactinomycetemcmitans—bacteria that are responsible for causing disease. Beckman Scholars make a 15-month commitment to the program, a condition Shoemaker sees as a great opportunity to do long-term research. He also sees the program as a chance to learn more about a potential job while publishing his findings. Participants are required to present their research results at a regional or national scientific meeting and the Beckman Scholars meeting in California. He will also submit work to a peer-reviewed journal. Shoemaker applied for the Beckman Scholarship last fall. "You can find something if you really look," he said about undergraduate research at Miami. "There are plenty of opportunities."

• Cultivating Leadership • Culture Study by Design • The Importance of Ground Work • Inside Washington • Job Searching of a Different Kind • On Her Way to the Top • One of the Crew • A Private Burden for Public Health • Reading Matters • Researching History Where It was Made • Shaping Policy through Medical Research • The Thrill of Discovery • The Truth About AIDS • Working for a Green Space "The internship made me realize that I'd love to do something like this when I graduate. It's definitely a life-changing experience." —Lauren Wilcher Read more >>