REU Site-Summer Undergraduate Research Focus Anthropogenic Impacts on the Environment

为期十周的夏季本科生研究重点（SURF）-人类对环境的影响计划的主要目标是为十名本科生，特别是女性和少数民族学生提供研究经验和教育。 招聘工作的重点是那些在其家乡机构不可能有研究机会的学生，例如社区学院的学生，研究活动的共同重点是调查人类活动对环境，特别是沿海环境的影响。 研究项目将由德克萨斯州A M大学科珀斯克里斯蒂物理生命科学系的教员指导。 研究机会反映了该部门的跨学科性质。 实践实验室和实地经验将由代表生物学，化学，环境科学，地球科学和海水养殖学科的教师提供。 该计划的目标是提高学生的批判性思维能力和沟通技巧，并为他们在科学领域的职业生涯做好准备。 预期的影响是提供实践的科学经验，以促进终身科学学习，并增加少数民族学生攻读科学高级学位的人数，在最初的一周定向之后，标准的每周时间表包括四天的实验室/实地研究，半天的游览和另半天的小组会议。 小组会议包括一次汇报会，以评估和解决学生的进展情况、问题和关切;一个期刊俱乐部;专业技能活动;以及一个科学伦理部分。分区域资源中心将以一个专题讨论会结束，学生们将在专题讨论会上口头或张贴海报介绍他们的研究。 除了为期十周的暑期课程外，学生还可以在常规学年的一个区域或国家会议上展示他们的研究。

The major objective of the ten week Summer Undergraduate Research Focus (SURF)-Anthropogenic Impacts on the Environment program is to provide research experiences and education for ten undergraduate students, particularly female and minority students. Recruitment efforts focus on students who are not likely to have research opportunities at their home institutions, for example students at community colleges.The common focus of the research activities is an investigation of the effects of human activities on the environment, particularly the coastal environment. Research projects will be mentored by faculty members of the Department of Physical & Life Science Department at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The research opportunities reflect the interdisciplinary nature of this department. Hands-on laboratory and field experiences will be provided by faculty members representing the disciplines of biology, chemistry, environmental science, geosciences, and mariculture. The goals of the program are to improve the critical thinking ability and communication skills of the students, and to prepare them for a professional career in the sciences. The intended impact is to provide hands-on science experiences to foster life-long science learning and to increase the number of minority students pursuing advanced degrees in science.Following an initial one-week orientation, the standard weekly schedule includes four days of laboratory/field research, a half day excursion and another half day of group meetings. The group meetings include a debriefing session to assess and address student progress, problems and concerns; a journal club; professional skills activities; and an ethics in science component.SURF will conclude with a symposium in which the students deliver oral or poster presentations of their research. In addition to the ten-week summer program, students are funded to present their research at one regional or national conference during the regular academic year.