REU Site: Interdisciplinary research in a diverse Appalachian ridge and valley ecosystem

REU Site奖授予位于亚利桑那州伯明翰的桑福德大学，将在2015-2017年夏季为12名学生提供为期9周的研究培训。该计划专注于多学科研究，以研究位于亚利桑那州伯明翰附近橡树山州立公园(OMSP)的阿巴拉契亚山脉和山谷生态系统中从分子到景观尺度的生物和生化相互作用。有广泛的潜在学生项目，包括实地和实验室研究，以解决生态学、种群生物学、植物学、地理学、植物化学、分子生物学、神经科学、生物化学、细胞生物学和病因学方面的问题。导师来自桑福德大学和伯明翰南方学院的生物和环境科学系、化学系、地理系和药剂系。学生是根据学业成绩、专业目标和杰出研究潜力来挑选的。特别鼓励在本国机构参与研究机会有限的优秀本科生和少数族裔群体的学生提出申请。预计共有36名学生将在该计划中接受培训。学生将学习研究是如何进行的，许多人将在科学会议上展示他们的工作成果。除了研究，学生还将参加每周一次的研讨会，内容涉及研究中的道德行为、数据分析、专业沟通技能、专业发展活动和研究生院申请过程。与导师、专家和同学的讨论和研讨会将帮助参与者整合他们在研究主题中关于复杂生物和生化相互作用的知识。由生物基础设施部(生物科学局)资助的所有REU项目将使用通用的基于网络的评估工具来确定培训计划的有效性。学生必须在项目结束后被跟踪，并必须回复通过NSF报告系统发送的自动电子邮件，以确定他们对学术研究领域的持续兴趣、他们的职业道路以及他们的研究经验的持久影响。欲了解更多信息，请访问www.samford.edu/rEU，或联系国际组织(Malia Fincher博士，电子邮件：rmfinche@samford.edu)或共同国际组织(Betsy Dobbins博士，电子邮件：egdobbin@samford.edu)。

This REU Site award to Samford University, located in Birmingham, AL, will provide research training for 12 students, for 9 weeks during the summers of 2015-2017. The program focuses on multidisciplinary research to study biological and biochemical interactions ranging from the molecular to the landscape scale in a diverse Appalachian ridge and valley ecosystem at Oak Mountain State Park (OMSP) near Birmingham, AL. There are a wide range of potential student projects, involving both field and laboratory research, to address questions in ecology, population biology, botany, geography, plant chemistry, molecular biology, neuroscience, biochemistry, cell biology and pathogenesis. Mentors are from the Departments of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Geography, and Pharmacy at Samford University and Birmingham Southern College. Students are selected based on academic record, professional goals, and potential for outstanding research. Outstanding undergraduate students who have limited opportunities to participate in research at their home institutions and students from underrepresented minority groups are particularly encouraged to apply. It is anticipated that a total of 36 students 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. In addition to research, students will participate in weekly workshops on ethical conduct in research, data analysis, professional communication skills, professional development activities, and the graduate school application process. Discussions and seminars with mentors, experts, and fellow students will help participants integrate their knowledge about complex biological and biochemical interactions across research topics.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 to determine their continued interest in their academic field of study, their career paths, and the lasting influences of their research experience. More information is available by visiting www.samford.edu/REU, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Malia Fincher at rmfinche@samford.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Betsy Dobbins at egdobbin@samford.edu).