REU Site: Ecological and Evolutionary Biology Research at Humboldt State University

Cal Poly Humboldt Sponsored Programs Foundation, Arcata CA

Investigators

Abstract

Humboldt State University will host 7 students each summer in a 10-week REU program in ecology and evolutionary biology. The program is designed to provide hands-on research opportunities for undergraduates, especially those from underrepresented groups in the sciences. Recruitment will be based on interest in ecology and evolutionary biology, career goals, and academic achievement. Students will be selected to ensure a culturally diverse group, including those training to become biology teachers. Faculty mentors have active research programs that span the full gamut of evolutionary biology, from the diversity of microbial communities in hot springs at Lassen Volcanic National Park to the evolutionary ecology of songbirds, and the systematics and biogeography of fishes. Students will: 1) learn the essentials of experimental design and statistical analysis, 2) design and implement independent research projects, 3) present their work at an end-of- summer symposium, 4) write a manuscript, and 5) participate in a social program that instills an appreciation for the wide variety of natural habitats in Northern California. Humboldt State University offers outstanding facilities and field sites for research in evolutionary biology. Within 30 miles of Arcata, students can visit salt marshes, sand dunes, old growth redwoods (including a 600-acre redwood forest directly adjacent to campus), grassland savannas, Douglas fir forests, serpentine grasslands, mudflats, rocky tide pools, and benthic marine habitats. For further information and application materials, please contact Dr. Sean Craig at sfc4@humboldt.edu or (707) 826-3656, or visit http://www.humboldt.edu/~hsureu/.