REU Site: Summer undergraduate research internships in ocean ecology, biogeochemistry, physical oceanography, and marine geology and geophysics in the CEOAS at OSU

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

Oregon State University will host a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site program at its main campus in Corvallis, OR that will support ten undergraduate interns. Interns will be mentored by faculty at the OSU College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences (CEOAS). This REU Site offers research experiences in physics of ocean circulation, ocean ecology and elemental cycling, and marine geology and geophysics. The objectives of the REU program are to: 1) provide students the highest quality research experience in ocean science and an understanding of its interdisciplinary nature; 2) provide students with a professional development and training opportunity facilitating persistence and retention in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) career pathways; and 3) increase access to and participation in ocean sciences in under-represented groups through targeted recruitment efforts at regional community colleges and four-year colleges and non-research universities serving underrepresented groups. REU students in CEOAS are plugged into major research centers, institutes, and initiatives and have access to premier facilities including: the Regional Class Research Vessels (RCRV) project; the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI), which deploys and maintains the Endurance Array in the northeast Pacific; the Marine and Geology Repository (MGR), which curates core collections from the Antarctic and Southern Ocean, North Pacific, and elsewhere; PacWave, which is building the first grid connecting wave energy testing facility in the U.S.; and OSU’s Marine Studies Initiative. The program includes professional development seminars and fieldtrips. Prior interns have participated in research cruises on the R/V Elakha (for coastal and estuarine sampling) , R/V Oceanus, and other UNOLS and NOAA fleet vessels (for multi-week cruises world-wide). The first of the RCRVs, the R/V Taani, will continue and build upon the tradition of intern participation in seagoing research once delivered to OSU. 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.