REU Site: Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Conservation Science at Zoo Miami

这个REU网站奖给动物园迈阿密，与佛罗里达国际大学合作，位于佛罗里达州迈阿密，将支持10名学生在2020年至2022年的夏天10周的培训。 REU网站专注于保护科学，包括野外保护项目（种群生物学，栖息地生态学，入侵物种生物学和全球变化生态学）和圈养种群管理（野生动物疾病生物学，野生动物营养学，动物心理学，动物行为学，生殖生理学）。学生将在动物园科学家和大学研究人员的指导下进行密切指导但独立的研究项目。学生将获得实验设计和数据收集，书面和口头交流，数据管理和数据分析，以及阅读和解释科学文献的宝贵技能。学生将接触到学术界内外的STEM相关职业。此外，学生将在非正式环境中学习STEM教育。预计在3年的资助期内，共有30名学生将接受该计划的培训。该计划的重点是促进多样性和代表性不足的群体在STEM的参与。至少50%的学生将来自STEM代表性不足的群体，至少70%的学生将来自研究机会有限的学院和大学，包括社区学院。学生将参与研究过程的每一部分，许多人将在科学会议上展示他们的工作成果。将使用一个通用的基于网络的评估工具（由生物基础设施部资助的所有REU研究中心项目使用）来确定培训项目的有效性。学生将在课程结束后进行跟踪，以确定他们的职业道路。学生应响应通过NSF报告系统发送的自动电子邮件。有关该计划的更多信息，请访问https：//www.zoomiami.org/reu_program，或联系PI（Steven Whitfield博士，steven. miamidade.gov）或联合PI（Elizabeth安德森博士，epanders@fiu.edu）。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和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This REU Site award to Zoo Miami, in partnership with Florida International University, located in Miami, FL, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2020- 2022. The REU Site, focused on conservation science, includes projects in field conservation (population biology, habitat ecology, invasive species biology, and global change ecology) and management of captive populations (wildlife disease biology, wildlife nutrition, animal psychology, animal behavior, reproductive physiology). Students will conduct closely mentored but independent research projects under the guidance of Zoo scientists and university-based researchers. Students will gain valuable skills in experimental design and data collection, written and oral communication, data management and data analysis, and reading and interpreting scientific literature. Students will gain exposure to STEM-related careers both within and outside of academia. In addition, students will learn STEM education in informal settings.It is anticipated that a total of 30 students will be trained in the program over the 3 year period of the grant. This program focuses on advancing diversity and participation of underrepresented groups in STEM. At least 50% of students will come from groups underrepresented in STEM, and at least 70% of students will come from colleges and universities with limited research opportunities, including community colleges. Students will engage in every part of the research process and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. A common web-based assessment tool (used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure) will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students are expected to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available by visiting https://www.zoomiami.org/reu_program, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Steven Whitfield at steven.whitfield@miamidade.gov) or the co-PI (Dr. Elizabeth Anderson at epanders@fiu.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.