REU Site: Undergraduate Research Experiences in Estuarine and Coastal Sciences at Mote Marine Laboratory

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The Mote Marine Laboratory will continue to host a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) site located at their campus in Sarasota, FL. The program will support internships for a group of ten students every summer during a 10 week research and professional training experience. Mote offers a diverse array of research in ocean sciences and emphasizes the essential interconnectedness of varied disciplines towards the common goal of fostering ocean health. Students are paired with Mote researchers from 24 research programs and conduct mentored research projects on one of several major threats to coastal habitats: aquatic pollution, natural toxins, habitat alteration, animal behavior due to habitat change, coral reef decline, ocean acidification, and climate change. In addition to research skills, students gain valuable experience in scientific communication by developing and presenting research proposals for independent projects and reporting findings in poster presentations. Career guidance on grantsmanship, scientific writing, presenting poster and oral research talks, and pursuing graduate study in the Ocean Sciences is provided in student-centered discussion groups. Students are also exposed to a broader range of topics in coastal and estuarine sciences through research seminars presented by Mote staff, visiting scientists, and Mote REU Program alumni. Participants are encouraged to present research findings in peer-reviewed literature and/or at professional conferences.