Research Experience for Undergraduates in Ecology
The Ernest lab at the University of Florida is recruiting for an NSF REU student to join us in Fall
2022. The REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program provides opportunities for
undergraduates to get hands-on experience doing scientific research with NSF funded projects.
This is an excellent way to explore what doing research is really like and grow as a young
scientist, especially if you have not had an experience like this before. We will help you develop
an independent research project that matches your interests and goals, and provide
professional development opportunities within the lab. Prior research experience is not required,
only an interest in learning!
The Ernest lab manages a long-term field experiment in the Chihuahuan desert of Arizona, and
is very active in advancing leading-edge computational methods in ecology. Together with the
White lab, we make up the Weecology research group. Our research is currently focused on
understanding and predicting how and when ecological communities change through time.
Some recent projects have focused on how extreme weather events coincide with rapid
transitions in community structure
(https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ecy.2373), how dominant species
affect competitive interactions between other species
(https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/ecy.2869) and tools for automated
forecasting of rodent populations (https://portal.naturecast.org/). For more information, see our
website at http://ernestlab.weecology.org, the blog for our long-term study
(http://portalproject.wordpress.com), or our lab blog (http://jabberwocky.weecology.org).
The REU student can choose from one of 3 research areas to develop an independent research
project based on their interests.
● Camera trap surveys - collect camera trap images from the site, organize, and identify
animals. How common are predators at the site? How does their activity vary seasonally
or with rodent abundance?
● Shrub cover, habitat and climate change - estimate shrub cover on the experimental
plots using drone imagery, satellite imagery and transect data. How has shrub cover
changed over time? How does it relate to changes in the precipitation regime at the site?
How does it relate to rodent abundance over time?
● Rodent phenology - assess timing of reproductive activity for several rodent species at
the site. How does reproductive activity compare between common and rare species?
How is it affected by the experimental treatments?
The research project can culminate in a presentation, poster, software package, or even a draft
manuscript. The student will also have year-round opportunities to visit our field site in Arizona
and participate in data collection and management.
The position will last at least for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters. The student will
receive a stipend of $160/week over the academic year ($160/week * ~34 weeks = ~$5,440
over the academic year), with an hourly commitment averaging 10 hours/week. They will have
working space at our lab on the UF campus, and will be invited to participate in weekly meetings
with faculty and other members of the lab. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents
of the United States or its possessions, and must be enrolled in an undergraduate program - not
necessarily at UF - throughout the appointment.
At Weecology, we are committed to supporting and training a diverse scientific workforce.
Current and former group members encompass a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds from
the U.S. and other countries, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, military veterans, people
with disabilities, and students who are the first generation in their family to go to college. We
support and encourage students interested in a variety of career paths. Former weecologists
are currently employed in the tech industry, with the National Ecological Observatory Network,
at teaching-focused colleges, and as postdocs in major research groups. We work hard to
create a supportive and inclusive lab environment and expect all members of Weecology to
abide by the lab code of conduct.
Interested applicants should contact Dr. Morgan Ernest (skmorgane@ufl.edu) by September 19.
In your email, please include 1) a short summary of your current research interests and why you
are interested in this position (400 words or less) and 2) a description of prior work and/or
research experience and the responsibilities, skills, and duties involved in those positions.
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