THE GOAL OF OUR REEU PROGRAM IS: (1) TEACH AND NURTURE INTEREST IN SCIENCE BY ENGAGING UP TO 7 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS EACH YEAR TO ANALYZE AND ADDRESS COMPLEX PROBLEMS FOR 10 WEEKS DURING THE SUMMER, (2) TO TEACH THE STUDENTS HOW TO COMMUNICATE SCIENCE TO SCIENTISTS AND THE PUBLIC THROUGH TRAINING AND HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES, (3) FOSTER SKILLS IN STUDENTS FOR DEVELOPING EXTENSION EDUCATION MATERIALS INCLUDING INNOVATIVE USES OF ONLINE APPS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND OTHER TECHNOLOGICAL TOOLS TO REACH BROAD AUDIENCES, AND (4) TO SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT THE CAREER DECISIONS OF THESE STUDENTS BY PROVIDING ACADEMIC RESEARCH EXPERIENCES AND FIELD TRIPS TO BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATION ENGAGED IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION AROUND BENEFICIAL INSECTS.WE WILL RECRUIT 7 UNDERGRADUATESTUDENTS EACH YEAR, FOR 4 YEARS. OVER 50% EACH YEAR WILL BE FEMALE AND/OR FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS.STUDENTS WILL ENGAGE IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION OPPORTUNITIES FOCUSED ON BENEFICIAL INSECTS IN AGROECOSYSTEMS (BEES, BUTTERFLIES, BEETLES), PEST CONTROL (NATURAL ENEMIES), SOIL NUTRIENT CYCLING (DUNG BEETLES, SOIL DWELLERS), AND BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS (AQUATIC INSECTS) OF THE QUALITY OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL SURROUNDINGS. TO ADDRESS EMERGING AND COMPLEX AGRICULTURAL ISSUES WE SEEK TO DEVELOP A RESEARCH EDUCATION AND EXTENSION EXPERIENCE PROGRAM FOR UNDERGRADUATES WITH A FOCUS ON BUILDING SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE, COMMUNICATION, AND EXTENSION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SKILLS. WITH ALL COMPLEX ISSUES, BIG DATA AND THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO MAKE SENSE OF THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN ELEMENTS OF AGROECOSYSTEMS WILL BE A THEME IN THE REEU STUDENTS' RESEARCH AND EXTENSION EXPERIENCES.FACULTY ADVISORS WILL PROVIDE MENTORSHIP TO STUDENTS IN A WIDE RANGE OF BENEFICIAL INSECT RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECTS. THE FACULTY BRING STRONG RECORDS IN ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS AND ARE ADEPT AT DEVISING PROJECTS TAILORED TO STIMULATE STUDENTS' CURIOSITY AND EXPAND REEU PARTICIPANTS UNDERSTANDING OF RESEARCH AND EXTENSION ENGAGEMENT. FACULTY ADVISORS HAVE EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE TEACHING UNDERGRADUATE COURSES, MENTORING STUDENTS IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH (A COMBINED 103 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS), AND IN CONDUCTING EXTENSION PROGRAMMING. IN ADDITION, PIS HAVE ACTIVE RESEARCH PROGRAMS ON UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SCIENCE LITERACY.IN ADDITION TO THEIR STRONG HISTORY OF INVOLVEMENT WITH UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH, THE SENIOR PERSONNEL OFFER A LEVEL OF DIVERSITY SUFFICIENT TO ATTRACT A DIVERSE STUDENT POOL TO THE REEU PROGRAM, COLLECTIVELY SPANNING FOUR ETHNICITIES. WE BELIEVE WITH OUR FOUR FEMALE FACULTY MENTORS, THAT WE HAVE A PARTICULARLY STRONG ABILITY TO RECRUIT WOMEN PARTICIPANTS.EACH PARTICIPANT WILL BE PLACED IN A RESEARCH LAB AND ASSIGNED ONE OR MORE GRADUATE STUDENT MENTORS WITH WHOM (S)HE WILL WORK AND COMMUNICATE ON A DAILY BASIS. STUDENTS WILL CONDUCT RESEARCH UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A COLLABORATING FACULTY MENTOR. STUDENTS WILL CONDUCT RESEARCH ON A PREPARED/SELECTED RESEARCH OR EXTENSION PROJECT WITH BENEFICIAL INSECTS IN THE MENTOR'S RESEARCH AREA (SEE TABLE 2). FOR SOME PROJECTS, THERE WILL BE A SPECIAL FOCUS ON INTERACTING AND CONTRIBUTING THEIR RESEARCH TO BIG DATA (FACT COMPONENT). IN ADDITION TO FACULTY MENTORSHIP AROUND RESEARCH OR EXTENSION COMMUNICATION, STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE TRAINING IN WORKING WITH AND USING 'BIG DATA' IN RESEARCH AND EXTENSION COMMUNICATION FROM STAFF IN UNL'S QUANTITATIVE LIFE SCIENCE'S INITIATIVE. IN ADDITION TO HOLDING WEEKLY LAB GROUP MEETINGS, THE FACULTY MEMBER WILL INTERACT WITH THE PARTICIPANT IN AN ADVISING ROLE SEVERAL TIMES THROUGHOUT EACH WEEK. AT A MINIMUM, THE REEU PARTICIPANT WILL INTERACT DAILY WITH GRADUATE STUDENTS. IN ADDITION TO RESEARCH AND MENTORSHIP ACTIVITIES, THE PRIMARY REEU FACULTY MENTORS GOLICK AND BREWER WILL MEET WITH STUDENTS FRIDAY AFTERNOONS TO SHARE A PHOTO THAT THEY TOOK EACH WEEK AND PRESENT A BRIEF TALK ON HIS/HER PROJECT AT EACH WEEKLY REEU MEETING. THE GOALS OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO DEVELOP SPEAKING SKILLS AND DISSEMINATE RESULTS TO STUDENTS/FACULTY?