REU Site: Conservation Science in Hawaiian Ecosystems

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This REU Site award to University of Hawaii at Hilo, located in Hilo, HI, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2015-2017. This program supports multidisciplinary research in the areas of population ecology, climate change, and management of natural resources. UHH's research community and its partners have developed rigorous research programs to address these issues and increase student interest, awareness and training in conservation and environmental science. Students, predominately from groups underrepresented and underserved in STEM, will work with a diverse team of faculty mentors on projects focused on conservation biology and how invasive species, climate change, and degraded ecosystems pose significant threats to the state's fragile ecosystem and represent serious environmental challenges. In addition to research, students are exposed to weekly seminars, workshops, and other advanced professional development and training protocols that (1) supplement their existing academic training (such as ethical and responsible conduct of research) and (2) increase their preparedness to engage in conservation science research. The primary focus will be on attracting students with a passion for the environment and nurturing the confidence, skill set and ability to effect positive change and pursue a viable career in this field. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, 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://hilo.hawaii.edu/uhintern, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Ostertag at ostertag@hawaii.edu) or the co-PI (Ms. Puniwai at npuniwai@hawaii.edu).