Summer Internships in Aquatic Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Center for Great Lakes Studies
Funded by the National Science Foundation
Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program
Program Description
Talented,
aspiring young scientists in the prime of their undergraduate
education continuum apply to summer research experience
programs in order to get a grip on the reality of scientific
careers. This reality utilizes their training in individual
aspects of science (factual, conceptual, practical)
simultaneously in real-life situations, side-by-side
with active research faculty and staff. Moving in concert
with current trends in fundable research, the importance
of basic skills training and resilience to approach
new topics is interwoven with functional, semi- to
fully-independent project experience in today's programs.
Confidence-building project completion is complemented
by social interaction, seminars and academic stimulus,
training in presentation, and discussion of a wide
variety of career options. The experience is strongly
enriched by the disciplinary diversity of faculty and
staff at the facility, often working jointly on truly
interdisciplinary research topics. It is designed to
provide students with a college-tenure real-life experience
in the life of practicing environmental scientists
including both faculty and full-time, dedicated staff
scientists. The focus is on research experience with
optional offerings of workshops related to career development;
graduate schools; writing, poster, and oral presentations;
and a variety of informal gatherings. Students from
across the nation have found answers to questions about
the lives of career scientists in one of the highly
relevant arenas of 21st century life. 
The program is structured as an immersion-level bench
research opportunity which has been provided for more
than 140 undergraduates nationwide during the last
16 years of the Research Experience for Undergraduates
(REU) Program at the Center for Great Lakes Studies
(CGLS). The interdisciplinary nature of CGLS provides
positions in classical geology, geochemistry, physical
chemistry, aquatic zoology, microbiology, molecular
biology, fish biology/ecology/aquaculture, and biochemistry/physiology
of aquatic organisms. Students develop a research proposal,
learn appropriate analytical methods and apply them
to their research, participate in related field sampling,
and finally prepare and present poster and oral final
reports. Interlaced with these activities are workshops
on career opportunities, graduate school options,
"lifetime highlights" of active scientists and prior
REU students now in graduate school at CGLS, preparing
reports, etc.
History:
Initiated
by CGLS Affiliates Drs. Kenneth H.
Nealson, C.C. "Tony" Remsen, and Cynthia V. Sommer
in 1987, this research education experience has been
continuously funded for 16 years by the Division
of Ocean Sciences, NSF. Initially an academic-year
program, the site moved to a summer venue of eight
weeks in order to involve students in a near-immersion
experience similar to our own lives. Under the direction
of Dr. Russell Cuhel since 1991, and then jointly
with Carmen Aguilar since 1998, the REU program has
responded to student evaluations by increasing the
period to ten weeks, including major shipboard sampling
opportunities, and providing ancillary inputs of
various types.
Summary:
The Research Experience for Undergraduates program
at the Center for Great Lakes Studies has provided
a well-rounded, diversifying experience for a dozen
students per year on average. The degree of field research
opportunity is great, and the integration of this work
with academic and social aspects of science life has
been fruitful. The return to us alone in new graduate
students, students returning to do senior thesis research,
and letters indicate a very positive experience. The
National Science Foundation Division of Ocean Sciences
has renewed our support for three years (2004-2006)
at 9 REU fellows per year. We are excited to continue
providing hands-on career development in aquatic sciences!
REU Networking
Summer
2009 Program Announcement
REU
2009 Informational Flyer
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