The Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) is looking for Research Mentors for the Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience (NAPIRE) Program at Las Cruces Biological Station in Costa Rica. The NAPIRE Program introduces Native American and Pacific Islander undergraduate students to the biodiversity of the tropics. As part of the program, students complete a research project in collaboration with a research mentor. Students also participate in lectures, seminars and field activities to learn tropical ecology and conservation. Two faculty coordinators lead the program.
Research Mentors are assigned 1-2 students to provide guidance and support through all stages of the research project. Mentors also provide introductory lectures, or lead a field activity, as part o the academic program. Toward the end of the program, mentors supervise the analysis, write up and final presentation of the students research results. The program is based at the Las Cruces Biological Station, a mid-elevation site on Costa Ricas southern Pacific coastal range. Las Cruces provides excellent opportunities for research in diverse areas of tropical biology, including conservation, fragmentation biology and restoration ecology. The station encompasses 250 hectares of premontane rain forest, 8 hectares of cultivated collections and 4 hectares of fallow and experimental plots. The region surrounding Las Cruces has extensive patches of forest fragments, including a chain of forest remnants extending 8 km to the Guaymi Indian Reservation. The program begins on June 2 and ends on July 28, 2008. The first 3 weeks of the program include an orientation at Las Cruces and travel to other sites in Costa Rica. Mentors must be at Las Cruces no later than June 23 to begin working with the students on their independent projects. In addition mentors should plan on staying at Las Cruces until the program end date. Mentors do not receive honoraria, but will receive up to 8-9 weeks of station fees plus airfare. REU students will have all their expenses covered by the program as well as a budget for lab and field equipment. Interested researchers should send a letter of interest and mentoring philosophy, curriculum vitae and a short summary (no more than 300 words) of potential student research projects. To be eligible, candidates must have completed their PhD. Deadline for application is November 15, 2007. Inquiries and applications may be sent electronically to the program coordinators, Dr. Doug Eifler ([EMAIL PROTECTED] ) and M.Sc. Marcela Fernández-Vargas ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) To learn more about the NAPIRE program and the OTS, you may visit our website at: http://www.ots.duke.edu/en/education/reu_napire.shtml
