REU Site: Research Internships in Science of the Environment (RISE)

Arkansas State University Main Campus, Jonesboro AR

Investigators

Abstract

Research Internships in Science of the Environment (RISE) Program at Arkansas State University provides students a unique cross-disciplinary research experience under the broad disciplinary umbrella of Environmental Science. The research program is unified through a common research field site, a common set of research objectives, and the inclusion of REU participants in a collaborative research team comprised of two REU participants and two faculty mentors. Research efforts center on the relation between agricultural land-use and impact on the environment including environmental chemistry, contaminant fate and transport, habitat quality, and biodiversity. Research at a centralized field area, the Judd Hill Plantation, and collaborative research training in the field and laboratory provides students with hands-on training in state-of-the-art analytical technologies while providing training in a number of environmental disciplines ranging from chemistry to ecology to geology to social sciences. RISE is specifically designed to provide integrated research and training opportunities to under-represented minority students. RISE particularly encourages the participation of rising sophomore and junior students in biology, chemistry and/or social sciences interested in research. Included in RISE is an ethics component comprised of seminars on topics such as environmental justice, the social dimensions of science and technology, and ethics in science. The program features seminars that include guest lectures from minority scientists in academia, government, and the private sector. RISE students present their research at a national scientific meeting and are provided mentorship by the program after the summer has ended. The goal is to provide young scholars the opportunity to be immersed in the "doing" of science providing the touchstone experience they need to thrive and excel at the undergraduate and graduate level. More information and application materials can be found at http://www.cas.astate.edu/rise or by contacting Dr. Robyn Hannigan (hannigan@astate.edu; 870-680-4360 or 870-972-3269).