REU Site: Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Field Research at Mountain Lake Biological Station

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This REU Site award to University of Virginia, located in Charlottesville, VA, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2025-2027. Research is conducted at Mountain Lake Biological Station (MLBS), Pembroke, VA. 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. Participants will be trained in the full process of scientific biological research, from thesis generation, to hypothesis building, experimental design and execution, analysis, interpretation, and communication. Many participants will present their work at scientific conferences and publish in peer-reviewed scientific journals. All participants will emerge as scientifically literate citizens. Assessment of the program will be done through an online tool. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Mountain Lake Biological Station has hosted a NSF REU Site program since 1993. Students should apply using NSF ETAP.The project supports guided but independent, self-motivated original biological research in field-based ecology, evolution, and behavior. Many university-based research labs working at the field station mentor participants in a wide range of biological research areas (past student projects: mlbs.org/pastprojects). Participants and mentors live and work full-time at the field station. The program includes formal training in the design and conduct of research, scientific ethics and professional behavior, writing and presentation techniques, and other aspects of scientific and academic life. Participants prepare written and oral proposals and final reports. Applicants provide personal interest and professional goal statements, college course information, and a letter of recommendation. Project senior personnel and research mentors select participants. Research areas for the upcoming summer are provided at mlbs.org/REUFutureProjects. More information about the program is available by contacting the PI (E. Nagy) or the co-PI (E. Brodie).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.