This award provides renewed funding for an REU Site at the Marine Environmental Science Consortium, which is located on Dauphin Island, AL. The site will support seven students during a twelve-week summer program each year. Research themes will focus on marine biology, biogeochemistry of coastal and nearshore systems of the Gulf of Mexico. The program includes a multi-day orientation session, field trips, scientific seminars, mini-workshops and panels on subjects such as ethics in science, scientific writing, careers, graduate school options, and presentation of scientific results. Students are also encouraged to participate in field-work with their faculty mentor and in extended research cruises when the option is available. They are required to present results of their research at a mini-conference at the end of the summer and are encouraged to attend scientific conferences and submit a paper for publication following the REU experience.
