May 1, 2008

Dear Welch Summer Scholar:

Congratulations on being selected to participate in the Welch Summer Scholar Program (WSSP). Our program begins in just a few weeks, and I am excited about your participation. This program, funded by the Robert A. Welch Foundation, has proved to be very worthwhile for our participants in the past years, and we hope that it will be a very positive experience for you. Six male and two female participants will be in the WSSP group at UT-Arlington this summer.

Rather than sending you a packet of forms through the mail, I decided save a little time by placing the four forms that I need you to send me on the web, at http://www.uta.edu/faculty/jimrogers/WSSP.htm. I'll also try to tell you a little about the program in this email. Of course, if you have any other questions, please send me an email or call me.

Please plan to arrive at UTA around 2:45 PM on Sunday, June 8. At that time, you may park in any faculty or student parking lot, since all are open on Sunday. It will probably be more convenient for you to park in the Trinity House parking lot since you will be checking into the Trinity dorm later that afternoon. An informal reception for student participants and family members will then be held from 3:00 to 4:00 PM in Room 112 of the Baker Chemistry Research Building. The reception will include light refreshments. Following the reception, we will have a brief meeting, which will include time for participants and their parents to ask questions about the program. We hope that your parents and other members of your family will be able to attend the reception. If your parents are not bringing you to Arlington, please let me know and I will arrange for someone to meet you at the airport or bus station (please try to schedule your arrival no later than 1:00 PM). Following the reception, you will be able to check into the dormitory, and your parents will be free to leave. You will be sharing a room with another WSSP participant.

I will give you a brief overview of the program in this letter and provide you with a detailed schedule of events when you arrive in Arlington. During the first week of the program, you will get to meet the chemistry faculty and learn about some of the research that they do. You'll also learn about giving scientific presentations, and you will receive training and instruction regarding some important lab techniques. At some point during the first week, you will be assigned to a research group directed by one of our faculty members, and you will continue doing scientific research with that group for the remainder of time that you're here. Although most of your time and energy will be devoted to chemical research, we are planning a number of activities for evenings and weekends.

On Friday, July 11, there will be a Presentation of Research and WSSP Awards Ceremony at 1:00 PM. Please feel free to invite family and friends to the Research Presentation. Following the Research Presentation, there will be a poster session describing the research of each participant. Once the poster session is finished at 3:30 PM on Friday, July 13, you are free to check out of the dorm and head for home. You will be expected to vacate your room no later than 2:00 PM on Saturday, July 14, 2007.

The cost of room and board as well as the cost of fees and other expenses associated with your work here will be paid for by the WSSP. You will need money only for personal expenses (telephone, laundry, food not included in the regularly scheduled meals, etc.) and for recreation.

You will need to fill out several forms that you can download from the Web:

1. Release and Indemnification Agreement

(Please select the appropriate form based on your age.)

2. Authorization for Medical Treatment of a Minor

3. Report of Medical History

(You only need to fill out the first page of the Medical History.

4. Rules and Regulations for the WSSP at UTA

These forms can be downloaded from http://www.uta.edu/faculty/jimrogers/WSSP.htm. Please print these four forms, complete them and mail them to me so that I have them no later than Monday, May 12, 2008.

In addition to the forms that you need to download and return to me, I have placed other information on the website, including a check-list of items to bring, a link to UTA maps (which include maps to the campus as well as maps of the campus), and the Permission to Leave Campus form, which you will need your parents to fill out and sign if you need to leave campus on a weekend.

The Welch Summer Scholar Program allows you to participate in research with faculty members and their graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Research can be tedious, boring, frustrating, and hard, but it can also be very rewarding. Be prepared to work hard and experience both the negatives and positives associated with research. You need to come with a positive attitude and a willingness to work with people who may be different from you.

If you have any questions, please call me at 817-272-5442 (office) or 817-563-1702 (home), or you may send me an email at jimrogers@uta.edu . I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks.

Sincerely,

Dr. Jimmy R. Rogers

Senior Lecturer

WSSP Director for UT-Arlington