NEPARS REUDescription
NEPARS REU PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
A new, unique model for a REU site brings together two primarily undergraduate institutions with atmospheric and related science programs to expand research opportunities for a diverse population of undergraduate students early in their education. REU interns will conduct research related to mentor expertise in atmospheric and related sciences to understand an array of atmospheric and physical processes, their predictability, interactions across temporal and spatial scales, and impact on society.
In our REU program, we are vested in the success of each participant and mentor, and committed to working together to build a welcoming, inclusive environment that allows each person to express themselves, explore new ideas and take risks.
We are committed to:
- being a diverse community of people with ideas and approaches that make a difference locally, nationally and globally.
- developing solutions, processes, and knowledge for all people. As a result, we embrace the vision that diversity in our program generates better learning outcomes, better citizens, and better scientists.
The REU Provides:
- furnished housing on campus within walking distance of the research labs,
- funds for travel to and from your research location at the beginning and end of summer,
- funds to attend a professional conference,
- and salary of $600 per week for the 9-week summer research program.
Each year a cohort of 12 undergraduate students will be offered paid summer research internships with the NEPARS REU to work with faculty mentors from Hobart & William Smith Colleges (HWS) and Plymouth State University (PSU). Six students and three mentors will work at each research location. The REU will feature a full-group gathering at HWS in the first week for orientation and workshops, a second gathering at PSU during the 6th week for a mid-summer colloquium and workshops, and a third gathering in the 9th week at SUNY Albany for an end-of-summer REU symposium. During the two multi-week periods between gatherings, the primary focus will be on conducting research using mentor-led student pairings with local activities and training directed toward enhancing leadership and research skills. The REU plans sustained engagement with REU students as they present their research at subsequent conferences, work toward completion of their UG education, and explore graduate degree and employment options.
The NEPARS REU site has a primary focus on participation of rising sophomores and rising juniors that have just completed their first and second year, respectively, at two-year or four-year colleges and universities across the U.S. offering degrees in STEM fields.
Student training will result from multiple gatherings of the REU cohort during each summer, interactions with all faculty mentors and peers, and connections with other scientists during local activities and training. These interactions will give students alternative perspectives on their work and information regarding potential career paths. REU UGs will complete a series of professional development leadership workshops led by the HWS Centennial Center for Leadership staff. The REU will partner with the Mt. Washington Observatory and the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at SUNY Albany to offer interactions beneficial to REU UG professional development.
Each collaborative REU research location (HWS and PSU) has (a) a principal mission to serve UGs and provide opportunities for their future success in STEM fields and (b) the faculty expertise (in areas of knowledge and mentoring) and technological capacity to support UG research.