The University of Virginia's Blandy Experimental Farm will host 10 students per year in an 11-week program in Field Biology, with an emphasis on Ecology and Evolution. The goal is to provide students with a full view of research science from the first ideas that lead to testable research questions, through the critical process of developing a research proposal, on through the rigors of field research, data analysis, and presentation. The program aims to improve students' understanding of research science and strengthen their abilities and confidence in public presentation. The program seeks to build a diverse, cooperative student community in which students learn as much from each other as from their mentors. The main research areas include plant population biology, plant-insect interactions, pollination biology, ecosystem ecology, conservation, invasive species, science education, aquatic ecology and applied insect ecology. In addition to participating in research projects, students attend weekly seminars given by visiting scholars, and take advantage of the numerous biological and cultural opportunities in northern Virginia. Blandy Experimental Farm is an ecological field station (not a farm) at the northern edge of the Shenandoah Valley. It is rural in character, but not isolated: it lies within 10 miles of the Shenandoah River, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the Appalachian Trail, and only 60 miles from Washington, DC. Students are chosen based on their prior academic performance, recommendations, and interests. Information is available at www.virginia.edu/blandy/ReuWebPage/HomePage.php or by contacting Dr. T'ai Roulston at tai.roulston@virginia.edu.
This grant funded 40 undergraduate students from 29 universities around the USA to study field ecology at Blandy Experimental Farm, an ecological experiment station of the University of Virginia. Students remained in residence for 11 weeks, chose a research mentor, wrote a research proposal, carried out extensive field work, and summarized the work in three ways: a formal written report, a research poster, and a public talk to an audience of 40-50 people. During the program students learned the basics of statistical analysis, the use of theory in ecological science, how to prepare for graduate school, how to prepare and give scientific talks, and the variety of careers available to those trained in ecological and environmental science. Students also received training in developing scientific lessons for k-6th graders and then prepared and delivered a lesson based on their own research to young students as part of the Blandy Summer Science Camp program. Three scientific papers have already been published out of student projects, with more already submitted or in preparation. After returning to their universities, many students presented their work at a research forum. The honors that students received for their presentations at research meetings based on their work in our program include: 1. Best Student Poster, Ecological Section, Botanical Society of America Annual Meeting 2. Best Student Poster, American Institute of Biological Sciences Annual Meeting 3. Best Undergraduate Presentation, UVA, Environmental Science Research Symposium 4. First Prize, Poster Presentation, Howard Undergraduate Research Symposium 5. Best Presentation, Kansas State University, Agricultural Sciences Division 6. Honors Senior Theses (based on research started at Blandy) –multiple students 7. Highest Honors for Majors Thesis, University of Virginia Students from our program were also greatly encouraged to continue on to graduate school, based on exit surveys, and thrived both in completing their undergraduate work and in initiating graduate work. This is exemplified in the following data. Forty-one percent of participants with a BS in last 3 years (2008-2010) enrolled in a graduate program in ecology or environmental science (9 MS, 3 PhD). Three students obtained highly competitive NSF Graduate Research Fellowships. Other school awards, both for finishing undergraduate work and initiating graduate work include Barry M Goldwater Scholarship (to continue research started at Blandy) Andrew's Graduate Fellowship, Purdue University Excellence in Biology Award, Alton F. Pfaff Cup, Warren Wilson College Rupert Anderson Award in Systematics, Gustavus Adolphus College Outstanding graduate student, Wildlife and Fisheries Biology, Frostburg State University
