This award provides new funding for a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMass Boston). The Coastal Research in Environmental Science and Technology (CREST) REU site and is a 10-week research/educational program designed to expose 10 undergraduates per year to cutting edge, integrative, coastal environmental science research. Mentors will be available from the Environmental, Earth and Ocean Sciences department and the Biology department at UMass Boston. Each CREST scholar will work with a research mentor to develop/conduct a research project in an area of coastal environmental science or technology appropriate to each scholar's background and interests. Students will gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge instrumentation, field experiences, and training in coastal marine data collection and will participate in professional development activities that will develop skills in data interpretation and scientific writing, teamwork and leadership skills, and scientific ethics. The primary broader impacts of CREST are the recruitment and training of future researchers and educators in the coastal environmental sciences. The primary undergraduate population targeted by the program includes not only rising juniors but also younger students with strong interest in interdisciplinary research and coastal environmental science. NSF funding provides for student stipends, housing in univerisity apartments, student laboraotry and field trip expenses, and some administrative costs.
