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Overview

• Story by Sean Beckwith – REU 2019 Summary | ±«Óãtv College of Marine Science

Five undergraduate students spent ten weeks developing professional skills and studying marine science with mentors in five different disciplines as part of a 2019 Research Experience for Undergraduates program hosted by the ±«Óãtv College of Marine Science (CMS).

The students were selected by faculty members from five minority serving institutions (MSIs) who were invited to visit CMS for the Faculty Visitation Program in Fall 2018.  The goal of that program was to establish new research collaborations between ±«Óãtv and MSIs and to help increase student diversity at CMS. 

The objective of this REU supplement is to provide an interdisciplinary research and professional development experience that will encourage underrepresented minority students to pursue both graduate education and STEM careers.   Another goal of the NSF funded ±«Óãtv CMS REU program is to develop a PhD student pipeline, especially with students from other disciplines (engineering, computer science, mathematics, bio-med, etc.) who have historically not entered graduate programs in Marine Science.  Ana Arellano, who is directing the program by coordinating professional development workshops, lab tours, graduate seminars, a research cruise, and social/team building activities, also reviewed the applicants and matched their backgrounds with ±«Óãtv faculty members’ research.  David Naar, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs (±«Óãtv CMS), and Bernard Batson, Director of Diversity and Outreach (±«Óãtv College of Engineering), have also been involved in developing this program as part of a Sloan Foundation designated University Center for Exemplary Mentoring. The five participating ±«Óãtv faculty members, Professors Tim Conway, , , Brad Rosenheim, and Amelia Shevenell are training the students in marine chemistry, marine microbiology, marine physics, marine geochemistry, and marine geology, respectively.

CMS REU 2019 cohort

Name	Undergraduate Institution	REU Faculty
Tione Grant	University of the Virgin Islands	Timothy Conway
Angel Cedeno	University of the Virgin Islands
Alexis Peterson	Spelman University
Jenelle DeVry	Xavier University of Louisiana	Brad Rosenheim
Richard Rivera	Medgar Evers College	Amelia Shevenell