REU Site: Engaging Tribal College Students in Undergraduate Ecological Research

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The North Dakota Tribal College REU Site will provide a research program for undergraduates during the summers of 2009-2011. Eight (8) Tribal College students will be selected each year to participate in an intensive 10-week research program in ecology. Research will be conducted by students under the guidance of mentors from Sitting Bull College, Turtle Mountain Community College, Virginia Tech, and others. Students will be involved in ecological research focusing on avian ecology and brood parasitism, the ecology and bio-accumulation of heavy metals in turtles, and the ecology of West Nile virus. The goal of the proposal is to utilize the resources of Tribal Colleges and Universities that comprise the North Dakota Association of Tribal Colleges (NDATC) in order to provide meaningful research experiences to tribal school undergraduates. Students will conduct individual research projects while becoming part of a summer research team. Research projects will focus on culturally-important issues of concern for Reservation communities in areas of environmental health and natural resource management. It is expected that this program will increase the recruitment, retention, and completion of Native American students in science, while providing a solid foundation for these students to be successful in graduate programs beyond the Tribal Colleges. Students will receive stipends and allowances for meals and lodging. Additional information can be found at http://www.sittingbull.edu/programs/envsci/REU or by contacting the Project Principal Investigator, Dr. Jeremy Guinn, by email at jeremyg@sbci.edu or by phone at 701-854-8037.