REU Site: R.I.S.E. - Research Internships in Science of the Environment at Arkansas State University

阿肯色州立大学(ASU)的环境科学项目为10名对环境研究感兴趣的具有高度积极性、传统上代表不足的少数族裔本科生提供了为期10周的暑期研究体验。夏季研究计划的重点是对阿肯色州三角洲、奥扎克和瓦奇塔地区的水生农业生态系统进行跨学科调查。这些地区的土地利用强烈地影响着生态系统过程，如径流、养分循环以及水生和陆地生境。此外，农业的主导地位对土地和水的使用政策、法律和经济产生了重大影响。了解农业生态系统的化学、生态学、地质学、政策和经济学为本科生提供了一个独特的机会来研究自然和人为干扰对生态系统过程的关系。主要目标是促进本科生研究人员的专业发展，并灌输对跨学科方法解决问题的更好欣赏。REU的学者以个人和小组的形式，在生态毒理学、地球化学、生物地球化学、脊椎动物和无脊椎动物生态学，以及资源管理、政策、法律和经济等领域的研究项目上与教师导师密切合作。该计划挑战学者们扩大他们的学科重点，并发展跨学科的视角。每周的项目会议被用来评估进展，检查各个研究组成部分之间的跨学科联系，并制定新的和扩大的研究计划。学生还参加伦理研讨会，在那里他们有机会与项目工作人员和受邀的专业人员辩论伦理、性别和少数群体以及环境政策问题。

The Program for Environmental Science at Arkansas State University (ASU) provides a 10-week summer research experience for 10 highly motivated traditionally under-represented minority undergraduate students interested in environmental research. The summer research program focuses on interdisciplinary investigation of aquatic agri-ecosystems in the Delta, Ozark, and Ouachita regions of Arkansas. The land-use in these regions strongly influences ecosystem processes such as runoff, nutrient cycling, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats. In addition, the dominance of agriculture significantly impacts land- and water-use policy, law and economics. Understanding the chemistry, ecology, geology, policy and economics of agri-ecosystems provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to investigate relations between natural and anthropogenic disturbances on ecosystem processes. The principal objectives are to promote the professional development of undergraduate researchers and instill a better appreciation for interdisciplinary approaches to problem solving. The REU scholars, individually and in small groups, work closely with faculty mentors on research projects ranging from ecotoxicology, geochemistry, biogeochemistry, vertebrate and invertebrate ecology, to resource management, policy, law and economics. The program challenges scholars to expand their disciplinary focus and develop an interdisciplinary perspective. Weekly project meetings are used to evaluate progress, examine interdisciplinary linkages between individual research components, and develop new and expanded research plans. Students also participate in ethics seminars where they have an opportunity to debate ethical, gender and minority, and environmental policy issues with the program staff and invited professionals.