RCN-UBE: Research Experiences in Southern California for Undergraduate Ecologists network

在南加州的本科生生态学家网络（RESCUE-NET）的研究经验为本科生提供身临其境的生态培训机会，并装备他们所需的知识和技能，以应对我们社会前所未有的生态挑战。气候变化、栖息地改变、引进物种和火灾正在影响南加州丰富的生物多样性和生态系统服务。在培训本科生的同时，RESCUE-NET研究的重点是提供关键的生态信息。RESCUE-Net研究机会强调学生之间的合作，并为他们提供了新的机会，让他们参与从问题/假设开发到数据分析和手稿构建的整个科学过程。RESCUE-Net旨在吸引不同的学生。此外，RESCUE-Net专注于支持整个地区的合作教师从小学本科院校（PUI）和社区学院。 RESCUE-Net是南加州的一个教师网络，致力于培养下一代生态领导者。RESCUE-Net包括三种类型的教育研究项目：多站点协作CURE（基于课程的本科生研究经验），多站点研究项目（MSRP）和多站点MURE（指导本科生研究经验）。CURE是作为课程的一部分发生的真实研究活动。MSRP是教师主导的研究项目，涉及来自多个校区的学生。MURES是指导性的研究经验，允许学生设计和开展合作研究。每年年底，教师和学生在区域和国家会议上展示他们的工作。RESCUE-Net教师团结在一起，热情地指导和支持多样化的南加州本科人口，并消除阻碍同行（因其种族或种族而被排除在外的人），第一代和低收入学生参与生态研究的障碍。研究者通过反复评估的方式，追踪学生科学认同和自我效能感的发展。RESCUE-Net解决了限制生态研究多样性和包容性的挑战，并为新出现的环境挑战提供了关键的生态见解。该项目由生物基础设施部生物科学理事会和本科教育部教育和人力资源理事会共同资助，作为应对本科生物学教育中的愿景和变革所带来的挑战的努力的一部分：行动呼吁（网址：//visionandchange/finalreport/）该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值进行评估，更广泛的影响审查标准。

The Research Experiences in Southern California for Undergraduate Ecologists network (RESCUE-NET) provides immersive ecological training opportunities for undergraduates and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle our society’s unprecedented ecological challenges. Climate change, habitat modification, introduced species and fire are impacting Southern California’s rich biodiversity and ecosystem services. While training undergraduates, RESCUE-NET research is focused on providing critical ecological information. RESCUE-Net research opportunities emphasize collaboration amongst students and offers novel opportunities for them to participate in the entire scientific process from question/hypothesis development to data analyses and manuscript construction. RESCUE-Net has been intentionally designed to engage diverse students. Furthermore, RESCUE-Net is focused on bolstering across the region collaborations of faculty from Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) and Community Colleges. RESCUE-Net is a network of faculty in Southern California who are dedicated to training the next generation of ecological leaders. RESCUE-Net includes three types of educational research projects: multi-site collaborative CUREs (Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences), multi-site research projects (MSRPs), and multi-site MUREs (Mentored Undergraduate Research Experiences). CUREs are authentic research activities that occur as part of courses. MSRPs are faculty-led research projects that involve students from multiple campuses. MUREs are guided research experiences that allow students to design and carry out collaborative research. At the end of each year, faculty and students present their work at regional and national conferences. RESCUE-Net faculty are united by a passion to mentor and support the diverse Southern California undergraduate population and to remove barriers that preclude PEER (Persons Excluded because of their Ethnicity or Race), first generation, and low-income students from participating in ecological research. Through iterative assessment, researchers track the development of student scientific identity and self-efficacy. RESCUE-Net addresses challenges that limit diversity and inclusion in ecological research and provides key ecological insights to emerging environmental challenges. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences, Division of Biological Infrastructure, and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange/finalreport/).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.