Summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Opportunities

REU Program. Senior staff directing the Stroud Water Research Center’s Organic Matter Biogeochemistry, Organic and Isotope Geochemistry, Ecosystems, and Entomology groups seek motivated undergraduate science majors to participate in a National Science Foundation program, Research Experiences for Undergraduates, designed to involve students in on-going, funded research projects in ways that will foster their training and development as independent research scientists.

Eligibility Requirements. General requirements for participation in the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Programs in the Biological Sciences are set by the National Science Foundation (see full program description). Applicants to REU Programs in Biology must be: (1) Citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions (e.g., Puerto Rico) and (2) Undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program (full- or part-time) leading to a Bachelor's degree. Seniors are eligible if returning to school in the fall. Undergraduate students who are transferring from one institution to another but are not enrolled at either institution during the intervening summer may also participate. Students are not eligible if they are: (1) Foreign nationals residing in a country other than the United States; (2) Students that have completed high school but have not yet enrolled in a degree program at an educational institution of higher learning; (3) Students that have completed an undergraduate degree and are no longer enrolled in a degree program at an educational institution of higher learning.

This is a demanding and competitive program that involves the intellectual and technical development of students who have an interest in careers as research scientists. Required activities will involve assigned readings, weekly journal club discussions, seminars, and the preparation of a final oral and written report as well as the training in laboratory and field methods. Independent research is not always restricted to a 40-h workweek, and does not always result in a peer-reviewed publication. If desired, arrangements for course credit with the student’s home institution can be pursued with the student and their academic advisor on a case-by-case basis.

Positions are available for students to work on five different NSF funded projects, (1) Hydrologic Regulation of Dissolved Organic Matter Biogeochemistry from Forests through River Networks; (2) The Application of Scaling Rules to Energy Flow in Stream Ecosystems; (3) Long Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB): Stream Ecosystem Structure and Function within a Maturing Deciduous Forest; (4) Seston Contribution to Metabolism Across Longitudinal Ecosystems – Dynamics of Organic Particles in River Networks; and (5) Long-Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB): Dynamics of stream ecosystem responses across gradients of reforestation and changing climate in a tropical dry forest.. For a brief description of these projects see: http://www.stroudcenter.org/about/louiskaplan.htm.

REU Tasks. Student activities will depend on the projects and may include: (1) sample collection and other fieldwork, such as streamflow measurements and operation of data logging equipment, in streams local to the Stroud Center; (2) laboratory analysis of water and sediment samples for a variety of basic chemical properties such as dissolved gas, nutrient and sediment concentrations, carbon and nitrogen content, stable isotope signatures, spectroscopic signatures, and mineral surface area; and (3) assistance to full time staff with sample preparation and analysis of organic contaminants and natural carbohydrate and amino acid compositions. Interns will thus be exposed to a wide variety of modern laboratory instrumentation, including: elemental analysis (EA) – isotope ratios mass spectrometry (IRMS); surface area analysis; Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR); gas chromatography – mass spectrometry (GC-MS), ion chromatography, and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC); (4) general aquatic insect taxonomy, application of macroinvertebrate community structure as a measure of stream habitat or water quality, measuring the size and fecundity of adult insects, and analyzing the variation among the samples from wet and dry seasons as well as from El Niño and La Niñas. This effort builds on previous work from other species, sites, and/or years.

Student Mentoring. The Stroud Center is not a degree granting institution, but research scientists at the Center have adjunct appointments at nearby universities, teach classes to advanced undergraduates and graduates, and advise graduate degree candidates. During the summer senior scientists will provide training and guidance to help participants choose an independent research topic, carry out the research, and report on the results in oral and written forms. Activities include assigned readings, group discussions in a seminar setting, progress reviews and technical training that will move the students to the next level on the path to independence.

Throughout the summer Stroud Center senior staff present weekly seminars to all summer interns, including REU students that provide an overview of the projects being carried out within their research section. In this way, students will be exposed to the full range of disciplines and projects at the Stroud Center.

The REU students will have the opportunity to work directly with mentors, including Drs. Louis A. Kaplan, J. Denis Newbold, Anthony K. Aufdenkampe, John K. Jackson, and Charles L. Dow. Dr. Kaplan will mentor students in organic matter biogeochemistry with an emphasis on measurements of lability profiles of dissolved organic carbon. Dr. Newbold will mentor students in the areas of watershed hydrology and whole-stream solute injections. Dr. Aufdenkampe will mentor students in the area of stable isotope analyses and interpretation. Dr. Jackson will mentor students in the aquatic entomology. Dr. Dow will mentor students involved in GIS analysis.

Qualifications include: meeting the eligibility requirements stipulated by the National Science Foundation, positive work ethic and attention to detail, and training, as appropriate in basic wet-chemistry methods, GIS methodology, basic computer skills, insect taxonomy, and strong written and oral communication skills. Course work in Organic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Hydrology, Soil Science, Aquatic Entomology or GIS is highly desirable. Start and end dates for REU participants are somewhat flexible, but we expect REU students to commit to a 10-week training period.

Stipend and Housing Support. Stipend $4,500/stipend (10 weeks of stipend support @ $450/week/student).

Application process. Students will be selected from an applicant pool with preference given to minorities and women, and students with strong science skills and a desire to pursue a career in research. Send cover letter, resume, transcripts (unofficial transcripts acceptable), and names, addresses, e-mail addresses, and telephone numbers of three references to the address below. Application by e-mail is preferred, and review will begin March 15 until positions are filled. If there is a specific project for which you would like to be considered, be sure to identify that project in your cover letter.

Candidates for REU positions in Organic Matter Biogeochemistry, Organic and Isotope Geochemistry, Ecosystems should address their applications to:

Dr. Anthony K. Aufdenkampe
Stroud Water Research Center
970 Spencer Road
Avondale, Pa 19311
aufdenkampe@stroudcenter.org

Candidates for an REU position in Entomology should address their applications to:

Dr. John K. Jackson
Stroud Water Research Center
970 Spencer Road
Avondale, Pa 19311
jkjackson@stroudcenter.org