This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). The San Francisco State University REU Site will provide a research program for undergraduates during the summers of 2009-2011. Eight students will be selected each year to participate in an intensive 10-week research program in the area of ecological and evolutionary developmental biology. Students in this program will begin with a two-week intensive lab/lecture course where they will learn about patterns and processes of molecular evolution and the role of phenotypic and environmental variation in the evolution of animal diversity and complexity. This will be followed by an eight-week independent research experience during which students will design and conduct original research in laboratories at SFSU and the Romberg Tiburon Center for Environmental Studies. Students will participate in weekly professional development meetings in which they will learn strategies for pursuing successful careers in science. The summer's activities will conclude with a campus-wide research symposium where REU students will present their research findings to the campus community. The program incorporates social interactions and networking components designed to help REU students make connections that will endure beyond the end of the summer and help support them in their academic paths. Additional information can be found at http://biology.sfsu.edu/faculty-pages/reu, or by contacting the Project Director, Dr. Carmen Domingo, at 415-338-6995; cdomingo@sfsu.edu.
