Lake Champlain NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 12:20:37 -0500
research, university, vermont

NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates

Interdisciplinary Research on Human Impacts in the Lake Champlain Ecosystem - June 1 to August 5, 2016

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APPLY BY FEBRUARY 5, 2016

Contact: Dr. Jason Stockwell

Our 10-week Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program will provide ten undergraduate students the opportunity to conduct research on the ecological and socioeconomic impacts of humans in the Lake Champlain ecosystem. Funded by the National Science Foundation, REU students will participate in an interdisciplinary cooperative model that promotes integrated thinking across disciplines within and between the natural and social sciences.

Our team-based approach will pair up students working on independent research in different disciplines,with each student serving as an assistant to their teammate, fostering deeper and broader connections across disciplines. For example, a student testing hypotheses about the influence of societal structures on the deposition of pharmaceutical contaminants in Lake Champlain might team with a student testing hypotheses about the impacts of by-products of common pharmaceuticals (e.g., toothpaste, birth control pills) on aquatic organisms, thus linking natural and social sciences through linked societal and ecological processes.

Students will also develop their professional skills and prepare for a career in science through our "Thinking Like A Scientist" Program, weekly journal club, and weekly "after hours" seminar on career paths.

All full-time undergraduate students with an anticipated graduation date after June 2016 are encouraged to apply, including high school seniors entering undergraduate study in 2016. Participants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents and must be 18 years or older before May 31, 2016. Students from institutions with limited research opportunities and underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

The University of Vermont (UVM) is located in Burlington, the largest city in Vermont, with an increasingly ethnically and culturally diverse population. Our REU program is based out of the Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory on the shores of Lake Champlain in downtown Burlington. Students will work with faculty mentors from across the UVM campus and nearby St. Michael’s College.

Burlington is centrally located in the Champlain Valley, nestled between the Green Mountains to the east and the Adirondack Mountains to the west, and conveniently located just hours from Boston, New York City, and Montreal. The Burlington area offers an abundance of recreational activities including biking, camping, swimming, hiking, fishing, and boating, and a rich cultural life including food, music, dance, farmers’ markets, theatre, a vibrant waterfront, and the famous Church Street Marketplace. The area also has an extensive public bus system to which REU students will have free access.