This award provides renewed funding for a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources located in Charleston, SC. The proposed 12-week summer internship program will provide laboratory and field-based research expertise to eight undergraduate students from across the nation each summer for three years. The REU Site draws mentors, facilities, equipment and experiences from the closely situated Federal and state research institutions that comprise the Marine Resources Center at Fort Johnson, Charleston, South Carolina. Students will be required to design and complete independent mentor-guided research projects and will attend classes on statistics, scientific writing, and presentation skills to train them for successful future careers in the marine and environmental sciences. As final products of the program, students will be required to prepare both a written final report and an oral presentation on the findings from their projects. Oral presentations will be given as part of a day-long research colloquium. Following the program, students are encouraged to attend a professional meeting or conference to present their work. Funding supports student stipends, student travel to and from Charleston, dormatory housing during the program and some administrative expenses.
