Oregon State University will offer undergraduates in biological sciences the opportunity to conduct comparative research in pollination biology in natural and manipulated ecosystems beginning summer 2009. During the 10-week program, each student will conduct an individual research project comparing native bee pollinator diversity and dynamic mutualistic interactions with local flora, at three ecologically diverse habitats. Participants will receive initial training on the main campus in Corvallis on research skills related to pollination biology, and on professional development as scientists. Prior to implementing their independent research project, undergraduates will learn about bees, flowers, and habitat diversity, and become skilled in identification of local bees and flowers. Professional development opportunities include gaining experience in grant writing and scientific communication. During the tenth week, participants will present their research results to a general audience at a Pollination Biology Conference. Nine students will be selected from the application pool for participation in the summer program. Applications from members of underrepresented groups are encouraged. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. and its territories. More information is available at http://oregonstate.edu/~raos/ or by contacting Sujaya Rao at 541-737-9038 or sujaya@oregonstate.edu.
The NSF REU Site award in Pollination Biology at Oregon State University provided 28 undergraduates with an exciting 10 week experience in cross-disciplinary, comparative research to increase diversity and retention of students pursuing careers in biological sciences. By focusing on a topic of current global relevance, pollination biology, undergraduates gained competency in addressing fundamental issues in conservation, restoration, agriculture and food production. Thus, the program produced a new generation of young scientists with the foundation necessary to become outstanding scientists in academia, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. These new scientists are well prepared to engage in high priority research areas including the maintenance of biodiversity and protection of the environment through habitat conservation and restoration, and the ability to address issues related to crop pollination and global bee declines. The 3 year program targeted undergraduates from under-represented groups, and from small colleges and small campuses of large universities with limited opportunities for research at their home institutions. Participating undergraduates learned about the scientific process and gained knowledge about structural adaptations in plants and bees involved in pollination, and developed skills in identification of local bees and flowers. REU students engaged in a variety of existing research projects while rotating between three sites: semi-arid grasslands and shrub-steppe in northeast Oregon, forest ecosystems in the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, and agricultural landscapes in western Oregon. Subsequently, each student conducted focused research at one of the three sites in collaboration with a mentor. They also gained skills in data organization and analysis and in scientific communication by developing an oral presentation for the annual Pollination Biology Conference, which was open to the university community and members of the public. The rewarding experiences of the program motivated REU alumni to make scientific presentations at their home institutions and national professional society meetings, to publish peer-reviewed publications, to pursue additional fellowships for undergraduate research conducted nationally and internationally, to produce pollination-related honors theses, to seek summer employment related to bee pollination and conservation programs, and to pursue acceptance into graduate programs.
