REU Site: REUisME: REU In Subtropical Marine Ecosystems

德克萨斯大学海洋科学研究所(UTMSI)的本科生研究体验(REU)项目位于德克萨斯州阿兰萨斯港的德克萨斯大学校区。学生研究项目的共同主题是沿海生态系统的自然变异性和人为变化驱动因素之间的相互作用。到目前为止，REU的具体项目侧重于具有全球影响的紧迫研究问题，包括土地利用和淡水需求对沿海营养动态的影响、石油泄漏和碳氢化合物对生物功能的影响、有害藻华、缺氧、时空群落相互作用以及大型流动动物的种群动态。南得克萨斯州经历了极端的环境条件，使其成为在不断变化的环境中研究海岸动力学的优秀自然实验室。UTMSI教员的研究跨越了沿海栖息地发生的生物、化学和物理过程，实验室和研究舰队为此类研究配备了良好的设备。该计划旨在提高学生对科学行为和沿海变化问题的重要性的认识，从而为学生在未来的职业道路上做出明智的决定做好准备。具体活动提供了对海洋科学广度的了解，增加了对研究道德行为的了解，并发展了关键的科学交流技能，既针对专家受众，也针对通才受众。该计划将在五年内支持总共40名本科生的研究经验和职业培训。该项目的联合资金将由生物科学理事会提供。

The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Texas Marine Science Institute (UTMSI) is located at the UT campus in Port Aransas, Texas. The common theme of student research projects is the interplay between natural variability and anthropogenic drivers of change in coastal ecosystems. Specific REU projects to date have focused on pressing research questions that have global implications, including impacts of land use and freshwater demand on coastal nutrient dynamics, effects of oil spills and hydrocarbons on organismal functioning, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, spatiotemporal community interactions, and population dynamics of mobile macrofauna. South Texas experiences extremes of environmental conditions, making it an excellent natural laboratory for studying coastal dynamics in a changing environment. UTMSI faculty research spans the biological, chemical and physical processes that occur in coastal habitats, and the laboratories and research fleet are well equipped for such studies. The program is designed to raise student awareness of the conduct of science and the importance of coastal change issues, thereby preparing students to make informed decisions about their subsequent career paths. Specific activities provide exposure to the breadth of marine science, increase knowledge of ethical conduct of research, and develop crucial scientific communication skills for targeting both specialist and generalist audiences. This program will support research experiences and career training for a total of forty undergraduates over five years. Co-funding for this program will be provided by the Directorate of Biological Sciences.