The Institute of Ecosystem Studies' Research Experiences for Undergraduates (IES-REU) program will immerse eight students in a highly interactive, research-oriented environment. The program will expose students to the whole context of research, not just to the procedures of a particular discipline. The philosophy of the program has four themes: (1) science is a community activity; (2) a variety of strategies is available to attack scientific problems; (3) all research has a theoretical context; and (4) all research has a social context. The students will generate hypotheses, select methods and develop research designs in collaboration with a mentor. The project options will focus on both terrestrial and aquatic systems, and provide exposure to a variety of trophic levels. The program is designed so that students will interact with each other, the staff of the Education Program, other scientists and students at IES, and visitors and speakers from the academic and public policy arenas. In this way the philosophical themes of the program will be woven into each student's experience. The program will conclude with a day-long symposium given by the student researchers. An IES Occasional Publication will also be prepared incorporating the students' final reports.
