REU Site: Models in Evolution, Ecology and Systematics

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This REU Site award to the University of Kansas (KU), located in Lawrence, KS, will support the training of ten students for ten weeks during the summers of 2017-2018. Housed within the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the program focuses on the use of models in evolution, ecology and systematics. Students conduct full-time independent research with a faculty mentor on a topic that interests them. Students also participate in workshops covering topics including the responsible conduct of research, career opportunities in industry and academia, the graduate school application process, and professional communication skills. REU students will have access to mentors' labs, field sites, museum collections, and core facilities such as the electron microscopy lab, DNA core laboratory, bioinformatics center, and a genomics facility. Biology, mathematics and computer science students are encouraged to apply, particularly those who are underrepresented in STEM fields and those from primarily undergraduate institutions or community colleges. Students will be selected by the director and assistant director in conjunction with the mentors based on academic record, research performance, and potential for research.It is anticipated that a total of 20 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. By engaging in mentored, independent research, students will learn how science is conducted in an ethically responsible manner as well as be able to improve their problem solving and research skills. Students will also gain useful skills in disseminating their research to diverse audiences. It is expected that many students 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 will be tracked after completion of the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available by visiting http://eebreu.ku.edu, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Jennifer Gleason at eebreu@ku.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. Deborah Smith, eebreu@ku.edu).