A Summer Research Experience at Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest:
Investigating and Communicating Change in Ecosystems
Ten undergraduates will live and work at the Hubbard Brook Experimental
Forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire for a 10-week program
emphasizing both research and public outreach on topics concerning Northern
Hardwood Forest ecosystems.
Research and Outreach areas include:
Animal ecology
Biogeochemistry
Hydrology and soils
Forest vegetation and carbon dynamics
Research projects will be conducted under the supervision of research
mentors active in research at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest/LTER site.
Outreach projects will be conducted in partnership with a regional
non-profit, local government, or other group involved in the communication
of scientific results to broad audiences.
Students will:
Design and conduct a research project in their area of interest under
the
guidance of a team of research mentors.
Partner with an outside organization to create a science communication
product meeting the real needs of the organization.
o The organization and product will be consistent with the research
interests of the student.
Participate in a Science Communication Workshop examining successful
science translation products and providing a framework for developing the
students projects.
Be fully integrated into the large community of undergraduates, graduate
students, technicians, and research scientists active at the Hubbard Brook
Ecosystem Study.
The program is designed to appeal to students interested in careers in
ecosystem science, as well as those interested in science-related fields,
such as teaching or resource management, where interpretation of the
processes and results of ecosystem science to a broad audience is central.
Dates: June 2 through August 11, 2008 (10 weeks)
Eligibility: Undergraduate freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or first semester
seniors. Must be citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. or its
possessions.
Stipend: $4,500, plus meal-plan allowance and free housing.
Other support: Research expenses and some assistance for travel to and from
the site.
Potential projects:
Animal Ecology
1. The role of climate in mediating interspecific competition for bird prey
species.
2. Population dynamics of vertebrates.
Biogeochemistry
3. Responses to atmospheric deposition in alpine and subalpine environments.
4. The influence of climate on the fate of nitrogen in forest soils.
Hydrology and Soils
5. Spatial patterns of soils and soil development.
6. Hydrologic controls on patterns of stream chemistry.
Forest Vegetation and Carbon Cycling
7. Vegetation change across ecotones.
8. Respiration and ecosystem carbon budgets.
9. The importance of belowground carbon storage in forest growth.
To apply: Visit our website at: www.hubbardbrookreu.org for further
information and application instructions.
For more information, contact:
Geoff Wilson
25 Dobson Hill Road
Thornton, NH 03285
(603) 726-8911
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
