REU Site: Botany and Conservation Biology Research at the Missouri Botanical Garden

Missouri Botanical Garden, Saint Louis MO

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to the Missouri Botanical Garden, located in St. Louis, MO, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2019- 2021. The REU research program emphasizes fields that contribute directly or indirectly to conservation, such as taxonomy, restoration ecology, ethnobotany, and population genetics. Each student will work with a mentor to develop a project that can be completed in 10 weeks. At the end of the program, students will prepare posters and 15-minute public presentations. Educational sessions, lectures, and field trips will introduce many aspects of botany and provide guidance on skills needed to succeed in a scientific career, including scientific ethics and responsible conduct of research. Student experiences will be assessed by a post-program survey, and student career track will be monitored for at least five years after the program. Sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors may apply online. Candidates will be selected by a committee including the PI, co-PI, and mentors. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. Students will be exposed to a wide variety of botanical and conservation research activities, learn to conduct independent research and publicly present results, and receive education and advice on graduate school and scientific employment. Emphasis on recruitment of students from underrepresented groups and from schools with limited research opportunities will enhance future diversity in botanical science. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available by visiting http://www.mobot.org/reu, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Wendy Applequist at wendy.applequist@mobot.org) or the co-PI (Dr. Monica Carlsen at monica.carlsen@mobot.org). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.