The objectives of this REU Site are: (1) to train students from ecosystem, earth, engineering, mathematics, and computer sciences in collaborative interdisciplinary research and professional development; (2) to forestall the flight of US citizens from STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) disciplines by recruiting qualified, diverse students to engage in ecological problems requiring computer, mathematical sciences and engineering input; and (3) to conduct research to develop and apply novel techniques in computer science, engineering, and mathematics to solve natural resource management problems, allowing informatics to enable the science and the science to enable tool development. We will achieve these objectives through structured research experiences, thematic and professional development seminars, exchanges with other REU sites, immersive field experiences, and mentoring and development of collegial relationships. Students will be recruited from ecology, geosciences, engineering, mathematics, and computer science. We will actively recruit Native American, African American, and Hispanic students and will provide all students with high quality mentoring, graduate school fellowship opportunities, and career counseling, so they will enter the workforce equipped to make key contributions to natural resources management and policy. We intend to provide students with skills for today's science environment, where information technology and models are essential parts of ecosystem management.
Mentored by teams of interdisciplinary scientists, participants will work on research projects addressing five key themes: (1) agricultural sustainability ("pollinator networks"); (2) climate change effects on organisms ("bioacoustics of birds"); (3) river restoration ("fish and engineered log jams"); (4) sustainable aquatic habitats ("aquatic insects") and (5) coastal hazards and sustainability ("waves and vegetation"). Each of these research themes integrates ecological principles, field experiences, novel engineering techniques, new developments in computer science, and mathematical modeling and problem solving. The activities will advance discovery while promoting training and learning in key policy issues including climate change, ecological change, and ecosystem restoration. The REU Site will recruit and train underrepresented minorities, enhance infrastructure and programs at the Andrews Forest LTER and OSU Wave Lab, and disseminate management and policy implications to USFS partners. The Site will also serve as a national model for transforming the education of undergraduates to embrace Ecosystem Informatics (EI) as both a set of tools and a mindset for approaching and solving natural resources problems in an interdisciplinary context.
