REU Site: Research Program in Behavioral and Conservation Sciences

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The REU program in Behavioral and Conservation Sciences at Northern Arizona University is situated in Flagstaff, AZ, at an elevation of 7,000 feet near the San Francisco Peaks and Grand Canyon. Since 1992, faculty mentors have trained students through the entire process of scientific inquiry, from project conceptualization to professional presentation. During the 10-week summer session, students gain hands-on experience that prepares them for graduate and professional careers in behavioral and conservation research. Students are selected based on their interest, and those from institutions with limited research opportunities and from groups under-represented in science are encouraged to apply. Behavioral research projects include sexual expression and mating strategies in marine isopods, functional morphology of feeding behavior in teleost fish, effects of endocrine disruptors on sexual maturation in amphibians, spatial memory in birds, and vocal communication in prairie dogs. Conservation research projects include the systematics of endemic plants, microbial processing of soil and water contaminants, genetic analyses of cottonwood community structure, estrogenic activity of uranium contaminated drinking water, trophic interactions within the Colorado River, and stable isotope analyses of element cycling in response to global climate change. The program includes faculty lectures, professional development seminars, noon symposia, and local and national presentations of research results, as well as abundant off-campus activities. Students receive a stipend, on-campus housing, meal allowance, and travel to and from Flagstaff, AZ. Further information is available at http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~shuster/, or by contacting Stephen M. Shuster (928-523-9302, Stephen.Shuster@nau.edu) or Tina J. Ayers (928-523-9482, Tina.Ayers@nau.edu).