This award provides renewed funding for a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment, University of Delaware, which is located in Lewes, DE. The program will support ten students during a ten week summer research program. This program includes independent research projects by the students on topics such as phytoplankton physiology, marine geochemistry, benthic ecology, wave modeling, coastal processes, marine geology, air-sea interaction and ocean circulation. The program also includes a series of seminars in marine sciences, workshops and round tables to explore general issues in science and graduate education. At the end of the summer, REU students present their results during a mini-symposium and write up their results in a regular scientific paper. Weekly seminars given by UD faculty and staff are designed to provide interns with a broad overview of marine sciences, and informal workshops and round tables focus on topics such as how to write scientific papers, life in graduate school, and career paths in marine sciences. All interns, even those working in the lab, also participate in two field trips.
The project provided students majoring in science, mathematics and engineering the opportunity to conduct independent research (with the guidance of an advisor) in marine science. The interns go through the process of designing and presenting the proposed work to faculty, students and the other interns. Also, interns were exposed to a number of sampling, experimental, and laboratory techniques. All were exposed to computer and presentation technology for their final reports. In addition to scheduled field trips, several students had the opportunity to go on extended cruises aboard the R/V Hugh R. Sharp in the Delaware Bay and/or Chesapeake Bay. Other students have done fieldwork in places ranging from Quebec to Florida, as part of research teams led by their faculty advisor. Many interns have had the opportunity to participate in scientific meetings (e.g. ASLO, AGU, GSA, Benthic meetings). Eleven students (22 %) participated in meetings; 6 students (12%) were co-authors in scientific papers. In addition to the 50 NSF-REU students, 40 non REU students participated in all REU related activities. Of these, 20 % and 18% came from underrepresented groups, respectively. Funding sources included NASA, NSF, UD Scholars program and Sea Grant. Interns from Lincoln University (1-2 students per year), a historically black school, were funded through a separate NSF grant and were fully integrated into REU related activities.
