The American Society for Microbiology offers Undergraduate Faculty Travel Grants to increase the participation of early career, undergraduate teaching faculty in its meetings. This program supports faculty who will be presenting an education talk or poster at either the general meeting or the Undergraduate Microbiology Education Conference . Regional Undergraduate Microbiology Education Conference Grants are awarded to provide seed money for conferences that are more likely to attract faculty whose limited travel budgets hamper their ability to attend national meetings. The society's Program for Unseen Microbiologists seeks to expand the pool of microbiology educators who work with national leaders in planning major programs to improve undergraduate microbiology for the twenty-first century. Through this program, the society welcomes input from faculty who teach introductory microbiology in institutions such as community colleges or who teach microbiology as well as courses more closely allied with their graduate training.
Financial support is provided to participate in the society's activities in undergraduate education.
The Council on Undergraduate Research publishes How to Get Started in Research , a guide for new faculty and departmental administrators who are at primarily undergraduate institutions. The council also offers consulting services to science departments and divisions at primarily undergraduate institutions to help them prepare for external reviews. Consultants have thought deeply about undergraduate education, visited numerous institutions, provided review services, and debated various approaches to science curricula. They are committed to the idea that ongoing research programs in undergraduate science departments play critical roles in scientific education and in sustaining faculty expertise and currency. During these visits, undergraduate students receive counseling and career advice, and faculty receive guidance in their curricular offerings and their research projects.