A National Science Foundation-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer internship in ecosystem ecology, with an emphasis on algal communities, is available for summer 2023 at Stroud Water Research Center under the direction of Marc Peipoch, Ph.D. This internship is part of an ongoing multidisciplinary research project investigating the origin and transport of river algae in the main stem and tributaries of the Delaware River Basin (DRB). The REU will work closely with Dr. Peipoch, his team, and collaborators to characterize algal community composition in benthic and planktonic environments across streams and rivers of different sizes and conditions.
The REU participant will gain research experience at the intersection of community and ecosystem ecology, with an emphasis on freshwater algal communities. The fieldwork in the DRB will include assessments of habitat complexity, algal community composition by using eukaryotic 18S-rDNA sequencing, and quantification of algal growth rates paired to real-time chlorophyll concentrations being measured by in-situ sensors.
Project findings will enable our research team to model sources and transport of river algae at the watershed and landscape scales. The REU will participate in field sampling, data analysis, project team meetings, and lab group meetings. The final two weeks will be focused on preparing a draft manuscript for publication.
Interested candidates should provide a maximum one-page cover letter, a maximum two-page resume detailing any previous research experience, an unofficial undergraduate transcript, and the names and contact information for three references familiar with your scholarly interests and research abilities.
The successful candidate will receive $6,000 for the 10-week internship and free on-campus housing at the Stroud Center, if desired. The internship must begin before June 10, 2023.
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