REU Site: Undergraduate Research Experiences in Coastal and Nearshore Marine Systems of the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."This award provides funding for an REU site to be located at the Dauphin Island Sea Laboratory (DISL), in Dauphin Island, AL. DISL will recruit seven students each summer who are interested in pursuing graduate studies and careers in the marine sciences. Located on Dauphin Island in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico about four miles from the mainland, the Sea Lab provides courses and research facilities for students and faculty from 21 colleges and universities in Alabama and visitors from throughout the U.S. During the application process, students will be matched with an appropriate faculty mentor. Under the guidance of their faculty mentors, participants in the program will design, implement, analyze and report on independent laboratory and field research projects. Research areas include aspects of the ecology and early life history stages of marine fishes and invertebrates, coral reef ecology, evolution and history of benthic communities, plant/animal interactions in seagrass ecosystems, marine conservation biology, the role of microorganisms in transforming organic and inorganic compounds in marine environments, phytoplankton and zooplankton ecology, and shallow water near shore physical oceanography and biogeochemistry. In addition, participants will be offered a variety of opportunities outside of the formal program, including support for travel to major scientific meetings and extended research cruises. Along with their independent research projects, the program will expose students to career opportunities in marine science (i.e., academic research, governmental service, private sector research and marine education) and scientific ethics through a series of seminars, workshops and field trips that are integrated into the program. The program will work to recruit a diverse set of students, and will conduct outreach efforts to regional schools in the Gulf Coast area, primarily to those that do not have graduate programs and do not offer research experiences to undergraduates.