This award will provide continuing support for a Research Experiences for Undergraduates Site in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. The past REU program in ecological and evolutionary biology has successfully trained undergraduates from Harvard/Radcliffe and 12 other universities during the past two years. The program is designed to provide juniors and seniors contemplating a career in research with: (1) a realistic orientation to the rewards and frustrations experienced in the process of conducting original research; (2) instruction in methods for planning, executing, interpreting, and presenting research, as well as specialized training in a field the student chooses; (3) exposure to and active involvement in a rich academic environment, consisting not only of peers and participating faculty, but also graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Students receive orientation and attend weekly meetings together with other REU Site participants. Students are thus encouraged to exchange ideas and impressions with their peers specializing in other topics. Within the field of their choice, students are encouraged to become familiar with an assortment of ongoing projects before developing and designing their own study. Throughout each phase, students work closely with a faculty member who encourages their scientific maturation. Students become progressively more independent as their work proceeds. By the conclusion of the program, students should be both competent and confident in their scientific abilities, and should be able to make informed decisions concerning the graduate training they wish to pursue.
