Renewal: From the Intertidal to the Deep Ocean: Monterey Bay REU

University Corporation At Monterey Bay, Seaside CA

Investigators

Abstract

A Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus will bring twenty undergraduates to CSUMB each summer for three years. This program includes a partnership with five other organizations, including the Naval Postgraduate School, Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University, Moss Landing Marine Laboratory, Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, and Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, which are all within a short distance of CSUMB. Students will live at CSUMB, but they will conduct research and be mentored by CSUMB faculty and researchers at partner organizations. Research themes include Oceanography, Marine Biology and Ecology, Ocean Engineering, and Marine Geology, with a wide range of topics in each of these themes. Students receive a stipend, housing and travel expenses. Professional development activities include workshops on scientific ethics and Responsible Conduct in Research (RCR), Geographical Information Systems (GIS), graduate school admissions and fellowships, and scientific communication. Many students will be able to present their research results at a conference or a professional meeting following the program. This program will provide unique research and professional development opportunities to a diverse group of sixty students and thus supports the national goal of creating a well-trained scientific workforce. Students who participate in the this program have the opportunity to work with researchers at a variety of marine science research institutions. Potential research topics include, but are not limited to: Trace Metal Analysis; Internal Wave Dynamics; Ocean Analysis and Prediction; Ocean Modeling; Nearshore Processes; Coastal Circulation; Marine Microbiology; Fish Ecology; Population Genetics; Invasion Ecology; Biomechanics; Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs); Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs); Artificial Intelligence; Coastal Erosion; Seafloor Mapping, and Biogeochemical Analysis. 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.