REU Site: Microbiology of Low Oxygen Ecosystems (MLOxE) at Montana State

Montana State University, Bozeman MT

Investigators

Abstract

This REU Site award to Montana State University, located in Bozeman, MT, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2024-2026. It is anticipated that this program will train a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities. These students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Participation will prepare students to help solve contemporary scientific and societal problems through understanding the role of microorganisms in ecosystems. Program assessment will be done through an online tool, and students' career paths beyond the program will be monitored. This REU program immerses students in research on the Microbiology of Low Oxygen Ecosystems (MLOxE). Microorganisms living without oxygen influence some of Earth's most important processes (e.g., nutrient or greenhouse gas cycling), play essential roles in human health, and provide insight into how life first arose and diversified on this planet. Students will explore questions in three thematic areas: Microbial Interactions, Metabolism and Physiology, and Community and Ecosystem Function. Student projects may involve diverse low-oxygen systems, such as the human microbiome, Yellowstone hot springs, or marine sediments. Participating faculty advisors represent the Departments of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Chemistry and Biochemistry, Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology, and Chemical and Biological Engineering. During the 10-week program, students will conduct lab, field, or computational research in the lab of an advisor and participate in a range of other activities, including field trips, educational and career development workshops, training in ethics and responsible conduct of research, and networking to empower students to pursue science as a career and build supportive professional and community relationships. Applications consisting of an application form, transcripts, and letters of recommendation are submitted online via NSF ETAP. 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.