South Carolina State College REU Site With Aquatic Ecology Focus

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This award will provide funds to the Department of Natural Sciences at South Carolina State College to establish a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) SITE. The focus of the program will be to expand the independent research capabilities of primarily minority undergraduate science majors, provide interactive opportunities for REU students with career research scientists, and to stimulate and prepare students for successful graduate studies and research careers. Research projects will be unified around an aquatic ecology theme, but students will have great flexibility in choosing projects. The locations of cooperating institutions; the Marine Resources Research Institute (MRRI) adjacent to coastal estuarine systems not far from the Edisto River mouth and the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) further inland near upper coastal plain habitats will provide students with a comprehensive picture of the kinds of research taking place along the length of an entire river system. Additional training benefits to students will be derived from a series of ecological excursions guided by off-site career researchers in cooperation with SREL and MRRI. This will not only help students improve their concepts of ecosystem interactions, but also provide for increased awareness of career options and graduate studies through interactions with host scientists. A guest researcher seminar series will be held at SCSC to introduce students to outside researchers and students will present seminars of their findings.