REU Site: Botany and Conservation Biology Research at the Missouri Botanical Garden

This REU Site award to the Missouri Botanical Garden (MBG), located in St. Louis, MO, will support the training of 10 students each year for 10 weeks during the summers of 2023-2025. It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities or from an under-represented group, will be trained in the program. MBG is one of the most active botanical research institutions in the US, with special strengths in plant conservation and taxonomy, offering unusual opportunities for students to engage in research of practical importance. Students will learn how research is conducted and many will co-author articles in scientific journals. Mentors will benefit by developing mentorship skills through formal training and hands-on opportunities to mentor students. Students’ experiences and lasting benefits of the program will be assessed through the online SALG URSSA tool and long-term follow-up to determine their career paths. Students will be required to register their participation on the NSF’s ETAP system. This REU site will focus on botany and conservation biology. Mentors from throughout MBG’s Science and Conservation division will participate, offering projects in plant ecology, restoration ecology, taxonomy and systematics, conservation biology and genetics, ethnobotany, and pollination biology. At present, students apply by emailing an application form and other materials; in future, the ETAP system will be used to streamline the process. Candidates will be selected by a committee including the PI and co-PI, with input from mentors. Students will work on individual research projects, attend weekly seminars, and participate in group educational sessions, concluding by presenting their results in a symposium. Students will be trained in ethics and responsible conduct of research, research methods, scientific writing, preparing oral and poster presentations, applying to and succeeding in graduate school, and career development. Some students will co-author journal articles; recent publications describe new species and explore the effects of restoration practices, the population genetics of endangered species, and coevolution of morphological traits in legumes. More information about the program is available by visiting http://www.mobot.org/reu , or by contacting the PI (Dr. Wendy Applequist) or co-PI (Dr. Mónica Carlsen) at reu@mobot.org. 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.