REU Site: Integrative Tropical Biology at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama

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This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site award to the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), located in the Republic of Panama (PA), will provide an international experience for 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2014 - 2017. This REU program is supported by NSF's Office of International and Integrative Activities and the Directorate for Biological Sciences (Division of Biological Infrastructure). STRI's REU program in Integrative Tropical Biology is built on three broad research themes in environmental biology: (1) Adaptation and Resilience, (2) Species Interactions, and (3) Drivers of Ecosystem Change. Each theme is driven by the common need to understand how biological systems are integrated to answer questions about the origins, maintenance, and preservation of biodiversity. The program specifically focuses on developing the tools needed to work with the data types that are transforming science across the three themes. During the summer, students will conduct cutting edge research on projects that leverage genomic technologies to make the connections between genotype, phenotype, and the environment. Students can study how forests are changing using increasingly sophisticated spectral data from satellites, fixed wing planes, and drones. Moreover, students will participate in a series of workshops (including responsible conduct of research) and professional development activities that will challenge them to critically think about science and their future careers.It is anticipated students from schools with limited research opportunities will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. The program recruitment will also reach across disciplines and target students in traditional life science departments such as molecular biology, biology and botany, as well as those interested in exploring the natural processes who are enrolled in engineering, mathematics, and computer science disciplines.Applicants must submit complete applications online and will be required to provide a self-assessment of their experience using a customized version of the REU common assessment tool. Students are required to be tracked after the program and must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information is available by visiting http://stri.si.edu/reu/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. W. Owen McMillan at mcmillano@si.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Ana K. Spalding at spaldinga@si.edu).