The REU program at Fordham University, located at the Louis Calder Center - Biological Field Station, offers students unique opportunities for hands-on research experience in a variety of areas in field biology and ecology. The Calder Center is located in semi-rural, forested Armonk, New York, but is less than an hour's drive from New York City, creating many opportunities for conducting research on organisms or communities in ecosystems with varying levels of human impacts. The REU site especially seeks undergraduate students from colleges that serve minority populations, liberal arts colleges with limited opportunities to conduct scientific research, or from urban locales. The CSUR-REU program offers 12-week, in-depth opportunities in a variety of subjects, including biological control of disease-causing arthropods, purple sulfur bacteria in hypoxic lakes, ecology of symbiotic fungi in oak forests, expression patterns of symbiosis genes in weevils, responses of forests to human-caused stressors, and effects of exotic plants in promoting native bee diversity in urban parks. Ten students will work side-by-side with biology faculty to design and carry out their research projects. Students will also participate in mini-courses taught by resident faculty on designing experiments, analyzing data, creating scientific graphics, writing scientific papers, giving oral presentations, applying to graduate school and discussing ethics in science. At the end of the program, students will prepare an abstract for presentation at a conference, write up their results for publication on our web page, and give an oral presentation at a public symposium on Fordham's main campus. Students will be selected based on (1) statement of interest, (2) academic experience and training, (3) prior research experience, and (4) faculty recommendations. Students can contact the program directors, Dr. John Wehr and Jim Lewis by phone (914-273-3078) or at REUatCalder@fordham.edu. Further details and application materials can be found at: www.fordham.edu/Academics/Office_of_Research/Research_Centers__In/The_Louis_Calder_Cen/Research_Opportuniti_12509.html.
