REU Site: Comparative Approaches in Cellular, Molecular and Environmental Biology

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This REU Site award to Mount Desert Island Biological Laboratory, Salisbury Cove, Maine, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2016- 2017. The scientific focus of the MDI Biological Laboratory REU Site is comparative approaches in cellular, molecular and environmental biology. Students will engage in scientific research using diverse model systems under the close guidance of a research scientist. The students will have access to state of the art research facilities and the coastal ecological setting offered by MDI Biological Laboratory. Students will have a wide range of opportunities for training in cutting edge interdisciplinary approaches to molecular, cellular, and environmental biology. Students will attend regularly scheduled seminars, which include instruction on responsible conduct of research, as well as symposia and workshops. It is anticipated that a total of 20 students, primarily 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. Students will be engaged in various outreach opportunities such as Family Science Night, a community-based event which draws hundreds of participants. These outreach experiences help to strengthen the ties between MDI Biological Laboratory and the local community. Through participation in these programs they will learn to discuss with lay audiences the broader impacts of their NSF-funded work. Interested students are asked to apply online, and submit an application form, short answer/essay questions, two faculty recommendations, and a transcript. Applications are reviewed, scored, and ranked by a faculty committee. Applications are due in March, with offers made in April and May. A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure (Directorate for Biological Sciences) will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. 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://mdibl.org/education/hs-undergrad/undergraduate-applications/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Paulyn Cartwright at pcart@ku.edu ) or the co-PI (Dr. Robert Morris morris_robert@wheatoncollege.edu).