REU: Undergraduate Research Experiences in Aquatic Ecology at the University of Kentucky

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This award will establish a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Kentucy. A new Aquatic Field Facility funded by the NSF EPSCoR Program at the University will allow talented undergraduates from seven Kentucky colleges and universities to be introduced to research in aquatic ecology. From nominees provide by the seven institutions, ten students will be selected and matched with the six faculty advisors. To learn the relevant techniques, students will begin an intensive eight-week summer session by participating in the advisor's ongoing projects. Within 2-3 weeks, the students will shift most of their effort onto independent research projects. Informal weekly seminars during the summer, and evening seminars in the fall, will stimulate discussion and provide information on research careers and on major research issues and methods. After gathering and analyzing their own data and developing skills in critical analysis of the literature and effective scientific communication, the students will complete the program by presenting their project results orally at an in-house "research conference". This wide spectrum of research-related experiences will significantly broaden the horizons of the participating students, many of whom would otherwise be unlikely to consider seriously the possibility of a career in research.