REU Site: Ecological and Evolutionary Dynamics in a Changing World: A scaffolded undergraduate research experience

Michigan State University, East Lansing MI

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) of Michigan State University (MSU), Hickory Corners, MI, will support the training of 10 students over 11 weeks during the summers of 2015- 2017. The program focuses on the ecological and evolutionary processes that drive responses in plant, animal and microbial systems to global change. Students will work with resident KBS faculty that have affiliated positions in departments of Zoology (Integrative Biology), Plant Biology, Plant Soil and Microbial Sciences, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, and Animal Science at MSU. Students will collaborate with their mentor to design a project that takes advantage of the diverse habitats around KBS and long term experiments set up to test hypotheses about how climate change may impact agricultural systems. Students will participate in weekly professional development seminars that address scientific best practices, preparation for graduate training, preparation for scientific employment and training in data management and analysis. Recruitment will target students from under-represented groups or attending institutions with limited research opportunities. The on-line application process is designed to identify highly motivated students and relies on multiple factors, including writing skills and life experiences. Program coordinators will identify appropriate candidates and will forward these to mentors who will conduct interviews with applicants whose skills and experience best match their research. The program will be assessed by using the common assessment tool used by REU programs (URSSA SALG). It is anticipated that a total of 30 students will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. The students will live in residence at KBS, and will interact daily with resident faculty, graduate students and postdocs, who conduct research on a broad range of ecological and evolutionary topics. A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) will be used to determine effectiveness of the training program. Students are required to be tracked after the program and must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by contacting the PI (Dr. Katherine Gross at kgross@kbs.msu.edu) or from http://www.kbs.msu.edu/index.php/education/ugrad/reu