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REU, Tropical Ecology and Plant Ecophysiology

The Macrosystems Ecology Laboratory at the University of California at Berkeley is seeking an undergraduate student to carry out independent research in summer 2021 as part of an ecology project supported by the National Science Foundation. This Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) will support one student as part of a broader team.

The nature of the REU program will depend on the COVID-19 pandemic. If international travel is feasible and ethical, the project will be based in Ghana and will focus on tropical forests from the coast to the interior. If international travel is not possible, the project will be based at the University of California Botanical Garden in Berkeley, California. If neither is possible, the project will be offered as a remote internship instead and will focus on analyzing already-collected datasets.

How to apply
Fill out the web application at https://forms.gle/bix4ZzyKN2Zd4Ez7A. The application requires the name of one professional reference.

Application deadline
Friday, February 12, 2021 at 11:59PM (Pacific time zone). Application review will commence immediately; late applicants may or may not be given consideration.

Decision date for applicants
End of February, 2021

Overall project motivation
Many biological systems contain spatial networks that transport resources. Examples include the branches of trees and the circulatory systems of animals. These networks vary widely in their architecture – some only branch, while others form loops; some have multiple levels of hierarchy, while others do not. This variation may reflect evolved solutions for optimizing functionality and minimizing costs in different contexts. Key network functions include transport efficiency, damage resilience, damage resistance, or mechanical strength. There is currently limited theory or data for linking network form to these functions, or for predicting tradeoffs between these functions. Prior theory has mostly focused on single functions or costs. Moreover, very few networks have been fully quantified or had their functionality measured, due to the difficulty of collecting data and developing vocabulary for network architecture. Better understanding the rules underlying network architecture will provide insights into the evolution of diverse organismal forms and will also identify principles that could one day guide the engineering of artificial networks, e.g. solar cells or synthetic organs.

This project will use leaf venation networks as a model empirical system. Leaves are central to plant performance via their roles in carbon gain and water loss, processes mediated by resource transport through their venation networks. These networks have high diversity of form and function and are tractable to phenotyping and functional characterization. This project will 1) quantify network architecture in a phylogenetically broad set of 500 species from temperate forests, desert, and lowland/montane tropical forests, 2) determine how network architecture and functions/costs are linked, 3) develop and test theory for these functions/costs of networks based on multi-scale network statistics, and 4) identify macro-evolutionary drivers of network architecture. Network functionality will be measured in the field with ecophysiology methods. Network architecture will be measured using novel multi-scale statistics.

Student role
During summer 2021 the student will embed with our field team and carry out an independent research project within the project’s overall scope, e.g. related to leaf ecophysiology and plant ecological strategies. The student will gain experience with a range of instrumentation (e.g. portable photosynthesis systems for measuring carbon / water fluxes, testing machines for measuring leaf mechanical properties, pressure chambers and evaporative flow setups for measuring water potentials and xylem vulnerability curves).

The student will interact with a range of US-based, UK-based, and (potentially) Ghanaian scientists. The working language of the team will be English.

Safety and COVID-19 logistics
If international travel is possible, the student will travel to multiple biomes ranging from wet to dry forests as our team moves between sites over the summer.

If international travel is not possible, the student will work with a wide diversity of species that are grown at the beautiful University of California Botanical Garden, situated in Strawberry Canyon just a few minutes’ walk from the Berkeley campus.

If no travel is possible, the student will participate in the research remotely, via regular Zoom meetings with mentors, and with work carried out via computer. We ran a successful remote REU program in 2020 and feel we will be able to offer an inclusive and effective remote experience in 2021 if necessary.

Eligibility
Applicants must be currently enrolled in an undergraduate degree program, and have completed at least one year of undergraduate study. Per our funder restrictions, they must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions.

Assuming that an in-person REU experience is possible, there are a few additional requirements. Due to the potentially physically challenging nature of the work, applicants must be able to lift/carry 15 pounds, walk 4 miles per day, and spend at least 4 hours per day outdoors.

For immigration reasons, the applicant must also have a valid passport allowing travel to Ghana during summer 2020.

Prior research experience is NOT necessary.

Expectations
The REU student will embed with our team for 10 weeks, either remotely, all in Berkeley, or 10% in Berkeley / 90% in Ghana.

The student will carry out an independent project with close mentoring support from project graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and/or principal investigator. The student will also make a final report and/or presentation. The student will have opportunities, if mutually agreed, to contribute to or lead a peer-reviewed publication based on their work.

The student will also need to complete a range of pre-departure safety trainings, to obtain necessary vaccinations and medications, and to participate in program evaluation surveys before and after the research experience.

Last, the student will conduct themselves in a positive, professional, and culturally inclusive manner. We require a harassment-free learning and working environment that is safe for all participants. Students not meeting professional behavior standards will be asked to leave the program early.

Program dates
Exact dates for the REU are still being determined based on COVID-19 uncertainty. They are likely to fall between June 1 and August 15, 2021.

Compensation
While in Berkeley, the student will have no-cost shared temporary accommodation. All travel expenses will be covered (e.g., flight to San Francisco; international flights to Ghana and back to home institution; ground transport, food, and accommodation in Ghana). The student will additionally receive a $3500 stipend.

Prior student experiences with this REU program
The lab website has more information on mentoring approach and prior student experiences. Our 2021 remote REU participants reported positive experiences, including good to great gains in confidence in ability to contribute to science, ability to work independently, comfort working with others, and understanding what everyday research work is like. High skill gains were also reported for explaining science to others, making observations, understanding journal articles, and thinking creatively. Good or excellent outcomes were also reported for the overall research experience, including working relationships with mentors and other group members. One person wrote that the experience was:

a meaningful and rewarding virtual research experience with your lab … mentors put a lot of time and thought into revising the original research goals and creating a virtual internship to replace field and lab research.

(all images are from a recent field campaign in neighboring Gabon)