The ASSURE Program

Ryan Klinker

The Department of Biology & Chemistry hosted a six-week research program called ASSURE — Acquiring Skills for Students Underrepresented in Research Experience. The 23 students who participated in the program became a community, developing academically, relationally, and spiritually. The students in the program were split into groups and assigned to work directly with one of eight Liberty professors on projects ranging from microbiology and immunology to chemistry and physiology. While some studied a hormone of a local amphibian species, others analyzed the effect caffeine has on hyper-specific aspects of the human body, and some explored the properties and biological functions of a variety of enzymes, proteins, and genes. Biology & Chemistry Chair Dr. Jeremy Sellers explained that this second summer of ASSURE built upon the success of the first by implementing more group interaction and providing opportunities for spiritual growth among the student teams. The students gathered throughout the summer to present their progress, joined each other to worship and hear a devotional, and sometimes simply enjoyed the summer season with social events.

“Last summer was very successful for its first year, and to have that additional Liberty level of spiritual integration as well as finding ways to nurture the team building and interactions was important to us,” Sellers said. “For these students, many of whom come from underrepresented backgrounds, teaching them even more about how to collaborate with others was a major goal. The research areas really covered the breadth of our department.” The ASSURE program is funded by a grant from Liberty’s Center for Research & Scholarship and is supported by the Provost’s Office. Sellers said the department is looking into options to continue the program for years to come. “We’re really excited about the future of this program,” Sellers said. “[The Center for Natural Sciences] used to be quiet over the summers, but now to see students buzzing and working here during that time, using the wonderful equipment that we have, has been a vision realized.”

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