REU Site: Global Change Ecology at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center

该REU站点奖授予位于马里兰州埃奇沃特的史密森尼环境研究中心（SERC），该中心将在2020年至2022年的夏季为10名学生提供为期12周的培训。预计总共有30名学生将接受该项目的培训，这些学生主要来自研究机会有限的学校或代表性不足的群体。学生将学习如何进行研究，许多人将在科学会议上展示他们的工作成果。该计划的评估将通过在线SALG URSSA工具进行。课程结束后，将对学生进行跟踪，以确定他们的职业道路。在过去的几个世纪里，人类通过栖息地破碎、温室气体增加、物种引入、营养负荷过剩和本地物种灭绝，极大地改变了地球。确定并最终减轻这些全球变化的后果是生态学的一个主要目标，也是史密森尼环境研究中心REU项目的主要重点。SERC实习生关注全球变化的各个方面，包括生态系统保护、气候变化、生物入侵和生物多样性改变，如何改变生态系统功能。最近的REU项目包括缺氧对牡蛎的影响，共生细菌在作物对干旱反应中的作用，以及树木多样性对土壤形成的影响。复杂的环境问题需要多学科的方法，实习生在许多子领域接受培训，包括生态学，化学，遗传学，定量生态学和科学传播。该项目为期12周，包括实地研究、实验室工作和教育培训，包括一系列关于研究技能、科学交流、负责任的研究行为和STEM职业的短期课程。暑期实习的申请截止日期为2月15日。实习申请需要一份个人陈述、非正式成绩单、简历和1-3封推荐信。有关该计划的更多信息，请访问https://serc.si.edu/pro_training/internships/projectmenu.aspx，或联系PI （Alison Cawood博士cawooda@si.edu）或co-PI （John Parker博士parkerj@si.edu）。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，认为值得支持。

This REU Site award to the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), located in Edgewater, MD, will support the training of 10 students for 12 weeks during the summers of 2020- 2022. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from an under-represented group, 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. Assessment of the program will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths.Over the last few centuries, humans have dramatically altered the planet through habitat fragmentation, increased greenhouse gases, species introductions, excess nutrient loading, and native species extirpation. Determining and ultimately mitigating the consequences of these global transformations is a major goal in ecology, and the primary focus of the REU program at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center. SERC interns focus on how aspects of global change, including ecosystem conservation, climate change, biological invasions, and altered biodiversity, are changing ecosystem functions. Recent REU projects have included impacts of hypoxia on oysters, the role of mutualistic bacteria in crop responses to drought, and the impacts of tree diversity on soil formation. Complex environmental issues require a multi-disciplinary approach and interns are trained in many subfields including ecology, chemistry, genetics, quantitative ecology, and science communication. The program is a 12-week period of field research, laboratory work, and educational training, including a series of short courses on research skills, scientific communication, responsible research conduct and STEM careers. Applications for summer internships are due by February 15. Internship applications require a personal statement, unofficial transcripts, a resume, and 1-3 letters of recommendation. More information about the program is available by visiting https://serc.si.edu/pro_training/internships/projectmenu.aspx , or by contacting the PI (Dr. Alison Cawood at cawooda@si.edu) or the co-PI (Dr. John Parker at parkerj@si.edu).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.