REU SITE: Systematics and Evolutionary Biology for the 21st Century

位于纽约的美国自然历史博物馆（AMNH）将在2014-2018年夏季为8名本科生提供为期10周的培训。REU项目的主题是系统学和进化生物学。学生们将在博物馆的科学家和馆长的指导下进行旨在阐明生物群体进化史的研究。AMNH可利用的大量资源使许多创新研究项目成为可能。例如，探索丛林水蛭、疟疾寄生虫、灭绝的捕食者和雌雄同体海葵的进化的项目将被提供。在收集和分析数据的过程中，学生将接受一系列科学方法的培训，包括形态评分、DNA测序、计算机断层扫描、大规模并行下一代基因组学和计算系统发育学。除了研究经验，学生们还将参加每周的讲座、博物馆藏品的教育之旅和其他相关的实地考察，并学习道德和负责任的科学行为的重要性。在课程结束时，学生将写一份报告，并就他们的研究成果做一个简短的介绍。为了评估项目是否成功，将使用BIO REU通用评估工具。该项目旨在通过吸引来自全国各地和当地的参与者来聚集一个多元化的学生群体。申请人的选择主要基于申请人的潜力，而不是学术成绩，该项目特别强调招收目前在科学领域代表性不足的少数族裔学生。学生可以通过www.amnh.org/REU/在线申请。由于将申请人与合适的导师匹配是必不可少的，因此鼓励提前与潜在的项目导师沟通。在这个项目中，学生们将完成一个“更广泛影响”的项目，在这个项目中，他们将向外行人传达科学思想和基础科学研究的重要性。这次经历将教会学生外展教育公众的重要性。参与者在项目结束后需要被跟踪，并且必须回复通过NSF报告系统发送的自动电子邮件。有关该计划的更多信息可访问www.amnh.org/REU/，或与PI （Mark Siddall博士siddall@amnh.org）或副PI （Susan Perkins博士perkins@amnh.org）联系。

This REU Site award to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), located in New York, NY, will support the training of 8 undergraduate students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2014-2018. The theme of the REU program is systematics and evolutionary biology. Students will be mentored by the museum's scientists and curators and will conduct research aimed at elucidating the evolutionary history of groups of organisms. The vast resources available at AMNH make many innovative research projects possible. For example, projects that explore the evolution of jungle leeches, malarial parasites, extinct predators, and hermaphroditic sea anemones will be offered. In the process of collecting and analyzing data, students will be trained in a range of scientific methodologies, including morphological scoring, DNA sequencing, computed tomography, massively parallel next-generation genomics, and computational phylogenetics. In addition to the research experience, students will attend weekly lectures, educational tours of the museum collections and other relevant field trips, and learn the importance of ethical and responsible scientific conduct. At the end of the program, students will write a report and give a short presentation on their research accomplishments. To assess program success, the BIO REU common assessment tool will be used. The program intends to assemble a diverse cohort of students by attracting participants from across the country, as well as locally. Selection of applicants is based primarily on the applicant's potential, rather than academic scores, and the program places particular emphasis on recruiting students from minority groups that are currently under-represented in scientific fields. Students may apply online through www.amnh.org/REU/. Since matching applicants to appropriate mentors is essential, communication with prospective project mentors in advance is encouraged. During the program, students will complete a "broader impacts" project in which they communicate scientific ideas and the importance of basic scientific research to a lay audience. This experience will teach students the importance of outreach to educate the public. Participants are required to be tracked after the program and must respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program can be found by visiting www.amnh.org/REU/, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Mark Siddall at siddall@amnh.org) or the co-PI (Dr. Susan Perkins at perkins@amnh.org).