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Detailed Description of the Program:
Research Experience for Undergraduates at the Center for Great Lakes Studies
Funded by the Division Of Ocean Sciences (Geosciences Directorate)
National Science Foundation
REU Program Outline
Field Research Opportunities
Presentation and Networking Opportunities
REU PROGRAM OUTLINE
The Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee's Center For Great Lakes Studies (CGLS) provides environmental aquatic science research training for nationally-recruited students in a cohesive, multidisciplinary environment. Students interested in chemistry, geology, and biology of lake and ocean settings are paired with mentors supervising active research laboratories. Together they develop a program of study compatible with the advisor's interests and capabilities within one of the interdisciplinary research programs active at CGLS. After an introduction to CGLS, they spend a day of open Lake Michigan sampling experience, and a day of ROV exploration on a nearby reef aboard the research vessel R/V Neeskay. They then write a short research proposal and begin a combined field, laboratory, and library investigation with increasing student self-reliance. In most cases, small teams of students (2-3 each) work within an umbrella project, thus learning the essential nature of collaborative effort and the reward of applying their individual skills to accomplish collective goals. For some students, more traditional disciplinary, one-on-one mentorship will continue to be more appropriate. Workshops on graduate school and career opportunities, writing and public presentation of results, and related topics will be offered. Among the Broader Impacts of this human resource-developing project is direct exposure to both disciplinarily and ethnically diverse aspects of aquatic science careers, with a strong leaning towards considerations relevant to Oceanography and Limnology. Learning and discovery are particularly well integrated within the focus of a new species invasion by quagga mussels in deeper waters of the mid-lake seamount area. Funded research projects involve diverse scientists and educators through research education partnerships (UWM, NOAA, Sea Grant, NSF, WDNR, Pier Wisconsin).
FIELD RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
Institutional research vessel time will be used extensively for field experience supporting REU projects. One current focus is the Mid-Lake Reef Complex (MLRC); the 18-hour cruises beyond sight of land give an ocean-scale experience. The MLRC is a true seamount and thus imparts characteristic physical, chemical, and biological dynamics to a large area under invasive species modification, and is amenable to team research projects. At-sea training will include detailed instruction on real-time data acquisition and analysis (hydrographic and multi-beam mapping; ROV survey and sampling), shipboard analytical procedures, laboratory analytical follow-up, and interpretation. Later in the summer, students design the sampling regime for their own project components. Thus, the central Intellectual Merit of the proposed work is a thorough, hands-on, systematic education of undergraduate students regarding the full suite of activities involved in professional aquatic science careers. Added value stems from the highly interdisciplinary outlook of the Co-PIs and several of the mentors, whose backgrounds include extensive integrated oceanographic and limnological experience and training. Four of the team mentors have active interest in the MLRC from differing perspectives and will work together with students on the major field experience components. This provides students with well-founded experience regarding career and lifestyle opportunities from a successful working mixed-race couple of substantial academic diversity and experience, and from senior scientists with well-established reputations in several fields.
PRESENTATION AND NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
At the close of the 10-week session, each of the students will present a poster and oral talk describing their work to a public audience. They will write a detailed paper in the format of a typical journal article. One will be selected for support for the winter ASLO/Ocean Sciences meeting. Through these mechanisms, the students will experience a large proportion of the activities typical of careers in aquatic sciences under the supervision of, and with the necessary level of help from practicing research scientists.
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