This program is currently on hiatus.

Our REU program will focus on analyses of long-term data sets in relation to changes in natural ecosystems.  Our main goal is that projects help students understand the mechanisms behind the biological consequences of climate, habitat and/or other ecological changes.  All REU student projects will incorporate the following:  hypothesis testing, measurement of key physiological, behavioral or demographic traits, predicting changes in species’ distributions or ecosystems from future climate scenarios, and conducting field work to ground-truth predictions.

Each REU student will: 1) learn the critical tools essential for understanding the mechanisms behind the biological consequences of climate change, and 2) recognize their own contributions to the scientific community, and recognize how their work addresses conservation and/or restoration issues in the face of climate change.

Our REU students will develop as competent confident researchers by:

• Posing and testing hypotheses about causal mechanisms likely to generate biotic responses to climate change
• Learning technical and analytical skills to develop their projects
• Synthesizing their research with other scientists
• Discussing future educational and career opportunities available in science with their faculty mentors and fellow REU students
• Enhancing their ability to communicate their work to others in the broader community