Intellectual merit: The University of Southern California REU Site: Ocean Coastal Zone Sustainability through the Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies provided training in the ocean and coastal sciences through the engagement of 24 NSF-funded undergraduate students plus an 10 additional students funded by other sources. Students participated in mentored research programs that provided in-depth understanding of a specific research problem and specific training in laboratory methods relevant to that problem, data manipulation and interpretation, and presentation of results in written and oral form. Participants worked individually with their mentor teams (faculty, grad students, experienced undergrads), and in some cases as part of a larger, collaborative interdisciplinary group, to formulate research questions and strategies. The designed research opportunities helped undergraduates, particularly underrepresented students, gain confidence, training and see themselves as future STEM professionals. Participants gained a broader understanding of coastal ocean science and its relationship to sustainability through peer-to-peer interactions on specific research topics that spanned marine microbial ecology, applications of geographic information systems, biological oceanography, marine organismal biology, fisheries, animal physiology, and land use impacts.

Broader impacts: We attracted over half of our participants from underrepresented populations and institutions that have limited opportunities for undergraduate student research. REU students received focused training in professional development activities that promote STEM readiness, i.e., science communication, research ethics, approaches for graduate school and professional application processes, networking, and non-academic career paths in marine and coastal science. Heavy emphasis was placed on knowledge transfer such as training REU students to train others in new skills and concepts acquired through the program. USC REU alumni were also leaders in large-scale outreach activities run by the USC Wrigley Institute for other undergraduates, high-school students, and the general public. This strategy reinforces a cycle of innovation: REUs learn from the research base and the work of others, make changes in their own practice, and share their results. The professional development model resulted in the training of a larger student community about the value of STEM-related research activities and exposure to expand into the geoscience workforce.

Last Modified: 06/15/2019
Modified by: Karla B Heidelberg