Research Experiences for Undergraduates: Ecology in Human-Dominated Landscapes

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A Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site will be established at Miami University focusing on The Ecology of Human-Dominated Landscapes. The goal of this endeavor is to engage undergraduate students in collaborative, multi-disciplinary research that emphasizes ecological questions in landscapes heavily influenced by human activity. Students will learn that the scientific basis for solving environmental problems is established through collaborative research and thus will be better prepared to solve such problems. Each student will conduct an individual research project, but these projects will also be part of student-faculty research "clusters," each consisting of 3 students and 3 faculty mentors. Students within a cluster will develop projects that are collaborative with other students. Clusters will be structured around a theme that ties together the research programs of several faculty members and they will develop a research program with faculty research mentors as well as student mentors and collaborators. The activities of the clusters will be coordinated by a faculty cluster leader. In this way, the students will be exposed to a broad range of research and have the opportunity to work in multi-disciplinary research teams, structured similarly to research groups solving real-world problems. In addition to research activities, each student will also participate in whole group activities, including a 10-week workshop course (2 hours per week) that covers the scientific process, scientific and environmental ethics, careers in ecology, how to prepare and deliver scientific presentations, and other research aspects. In addition, all students will attend periodic whole-group meetings, a two-day retreat/workshop at a field station, and the annual conference of the Ecological Society of America with their faculty mentors. In addition, they will continue working on projects, with the guidance of their mentors, throughout the following academic year. The year will culminate with an electronic poster-session posted on the program's website, in which all students will present their research results.As a part of this program the student participants and the faculty at Miami University will be engaged in research programs that are relevant to understanding and solving environmental problems nationally and internationally. Through multiple levels of mentoring and collaboration, students will come away with a true appreciation for the manner in which science moves forward and gain a better appreciation for the complexity of the environmental issues we face. In addition, the faculty at Miami University will benefit by strengthening their collaborations with one another and with students from a variety of background and perspectives in a focused and productive context.