REU Site: Molecular and Organismal Evolution

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This REU Site award to the University of Idaho, located in Moscow, ID, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2015 - 2017. This program, housed within the Department of Biological Sciences, is designed to actively engage undergraduates in faculty-mentored research in the areas of molecular and organismal evolution. Research interests in evolutionary processes form a unifying theme and are a particular strength of this department. These interests range from molecular processes of evolutionary change to the adaptation of organisms on the landscape level. Students will have the opportunity to work on a diverse range of projects that address current questions with cutting-edge approaches in state-of-the-art facilities. The program is structured to involve students in all aspects of scientific investigation and to excite and inspire them through direct exposure to current research in evolutionary biology. Weekly research seminars, a series of career development workshops, an ethics/responsible conduct of research component, and a variety of social activities will facilitate student learning and development. The program will conclude with a student research symposium. Students from institutions with limited opportunities for research as well as students from underrepresented minority groups and first generation college students will be targeted during recruiting efforts. An on-line application process will be utilized. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted and will be mentored toward increased independence as the program progresses. Many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences.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://www.uidaho.edu/sci/biology/about/summer-reu, or by contacting the PI (Dr. David Pfeiffer at dpfeiffer@uidaho.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Doug Cole at dcole@uidaho.edu).