REU Site: Interdisciplinary Training for Research and Outreach in Climate Science (IT-ROCS)

REU Site: Interdisciplinary Training for Research and Outreach in Climate Science (IT-ROCS) Abstract. This REU Site award to The City College of New York (CCNY), located in New York, NY, will support the training of nine students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2023- 2025. It is anticipated that a total of 27 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from underrepresented groups, will be trained in the program. Students will learn how research is conducted, write a scientific report, and present at an on-campus undergraduate research symposium. Many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences. Assessment of the program will be done through the online SALG URSSA tool. Students will be tracked after the program to determine their career paths. Climate science is the unifying theme of IT-ROCS; through it, students will explore the impact of climate change on Earth’s ecosystems. Students will engage with faculty mentors with expertise in ecology, evolution, climatology, remote sensing, geography, biochemistry, and computer science. Representative project topics range from the impact of recent climate change on air and water quality in the greater NY region to the study of evolutionary responses of biodiversity to past climate change to help foresee future trajectories. This REU will also promote the learning of science communication and STEM pedagogy, and engagement with local community outreach programs. Students will be part of a larger community of undergraduates undertaking summer research at CCNY and will participate in weekly professional development sessions on both research and soft skills, in addition to completing mandatory Responsible Conduct in Research modules and registering with NSF ETAP. Applicants will be selected for their interest or experience in climate science, as shown broadly by course work, jobs, club activities or volunteering experiences, as well as their willingness to explore careers in climate science education. More information about the program is available by visiting http://cipass.cuny.edu/programs/it-rocs/ or by contacting PI Ana Carnaval (acarnaval@ccny.cuny.edu) or co-PI Yael Wyner (ywyner@ccny.cuny.edu). This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.