Student Goals

Intellectual: Students gain knowledge, skills and appreciation for both ecological scholarship and translational ecology as they:

• Develop strong research and inquiry skills
• Gain deeper knowledge in the field of ecology
• Understand key linkages between ecology and society, including those to policy/management, communication and education
• Acquire skills and practice in connecting ecological research to policy/management, communication and education

Personal, social and professional: Students develop identities as scholars and translators of ecology, and are better able to choose and pursue a career as they:

• Become more confident in their ability to do independent research
• Experience the enjoyment of working with the environment and research
• Begin to understand the rewards and requirements for translational ecology
• Learn how to effectively interact with colleagues, advisors, mentors, and (to a lesser extent), people outside the field of ecology
• Build positive relationships and networks to support their future career development
• Become reflective practitioners of ecological research and translational ecology
• Appreciate the benefits and challenges of different career options in ecology

Programmatic Goals

The Cary-REU program contributes to the field of ecology as we:

• Engage a diverse group of students – by race, background, type of school, career interest, and perspective - in the field
• Generate new knowledge on a wide array of ecological questions with a view to topics that impact a broader audience
• Provide innovative and effective training for a new generation of translational ecologists, prepared for the new challenges and opportunities they will encounter
• Contribute to our understanding of the roles that research experience and reflection play in undergraduate learning and vocational development.