REU Site: Support for Biological and Limnological Research in Affiliation with the Nyanza Project

瓦萨学院将在每年夏天招收6名REU学生，为期7周的热带湖泊和进化生物学实地考察项目。该项目与坦桑尼亚坦噶尼喀湖上的姊妹项目--尼扬扎项目--协同运作。这些项目旨在为学生提供关于热带湖泊的跨学科视角，并提供实践独立研究的机会。招聘将基于学术成就、对生态学和进化生物学的兴趣以及职业目标。我们的目标也是从科学界传统上代表性不足的群体中招聘人才。学生们将前往坦桑尼亚坦噶尼喀湖畔的基戈马，在那里他们将：1)参加为期两周的跨学科研讨会(讲座、实验室和实地活动)，涉及地质学、古气候学、湖泊学和进化生物学；2)学习实验设计和统计分析的要点；3)与他们的同龄人一起设计和实施独立研究项目；4)在暑期结束时在正式研讨会上展示他们的工作；5)写一份关于他们工作的报告。作为一个有1000万年历史的裂谷湖泊，坦噶尼喀湖在许多动物群中具有高度的地方性，为湖泊学和进化生物学的研究提供了独特的机会。该区域还在经历人口增长和土地利用的高水平变化，这可能随后影响水化学和生物多样性。研究项目可以侧重于诸如远洋营养动态、渔业生物学、砍伐森林对热带河流的影响、沉积对腹足类的影响、捕食者-猎物的共同进化和种群分布等主题。过去的研究报告、有关该项目的更多信息和申请材料可在http://www.geo.arizona.edu/nyanza/.上找到如有任何其他问题，请联系凯瑟琳·奥莱利，电子邮件：caoreilly@vassar.edu(845-437-7353)，或安德鲁·科恩，电子邮件：aco hen@Geo.arizona.edu(520-621-4691)。该奖项由国际科学与工程办公室共同资助。

Vassar College will host 6 REU students each summer in a 7 week field program in Tropical Limnology and Evolutionary Biology. This program operates in concert with a sister REU, the Nyanza Project, on Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania. Jointly, these programs are designed to provide students with an interdisciplinary perspective on tropical lakes and the opportunity for hands-on independent research. Recruitment will be based on academic achievement, interest in ecology and evolutionary biology, and career goals. We also aim to recruit from traditionally underrepresented groups in the sciences. Students will travel to Kigoma, Tanzania, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, where they will: 1) participate in a two-week interdisciplinary workshop (lecture, lab, and field activities) involving geology, paleoclimatology, limnology, and evolutionary biology, 2) learn the essentials of experimental design and statistical analysis, 3) design and implement independent research projects in conjunction with their peers, 4) present their work at the end of the summer in a formal seminar, 5) write a report on their work. As a 10-million-year-old Rift Valley lake with high levels of endemism among many faunal groups, Lake Tanganyika offers unique opportunities for research in limnology and evolutionary biology. The region is also experiencing high levels of population growth and land use change which can subsequently affect the water chemistry and biodiversity. Research projects can focus on topics such as pelagic nutrient dynamics, fisheries biology, the effect of deforestation on tropical streams, the effect of sedimentation on gastropods, predator-prey co-evolution, and population distributions. Past research reports, more information about the program, and application materials can be found at http://www.geo.arizona.edu/nyanza/. For any additional questions, contact Catherine O'Reilly at caoreilly@vassar.edu (845-437-7353) or Andrew Cohen at acohen@geo.arizona.edu (520-621-4691). This award was cofunded by the Office of International Science and Engineering.