SUMMER UNDERGRADUATE
RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
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The Marine
Sciences Research Center at SUNY Stony Brook has summer fellowships
available for up to 8 academically talented undergraduates to actively
participate in research on estuarine and oceanographic processes.
MSRC, with 35 faculty members and about 100 graduate students, is
a world-class center for oceanographic and atmospheric research
with a multidisciplinary program and a long history of interdisciplinary
approaches to the study of coastal oceanography, estuarine processes
and coastal zone management.
Description: During the Summer of 2003, the REU program will take advantage of the environmental observing system deployed by the MSRC on the Bridgeport – Port Jefferson Steamboat Company's ferry, the P.T. Barnum. This system makes in-situ meteorological measurements and accompanying observations of current and surface water properties for documenting seasonal variations, synoptic weather variations, and diurnal cycling (http://www.stonybrook.edu/soundscience). The Long Island Sound is a picturesque estuary bordered by Connecticut and Long Island, New York. It is a highly prized natural, economic, and recreational resource for the over 8 million people living in its watershed. Economic demands associated with the Sound are considerable, both commercial fisheries and the surrounding urbanization put considerable stress on its ecological systems. The Long Island Sound is a relatively shallow estuary (20 m average) and it has a large surface area making its circulation highly dependent on local atmospheric forcing (i.e., surface wind stress, air-sea fluxes of heat and freshwater). We are particularly interested in the complex interactions between circulation, nutrient loadings, eutrophication, dissolved oxygen as well as other physical and ecological characteristics of the Sound including the interaction of the relatively pristine central Sound with western waters impacted by summertime hypoxia. We expect that the research undertaken will be useful for environmental management decisions concerning for example, the development of hypoxia, sewage outflow, and allowable toxicity levels.
Research Areas: Individual research under the
guidance of faculty mentors will be coupled to the overall project
theme. Opportunities for research include: Atmosphere/Ocean
Coupling – considering the impact of weather variations
and climatic conditions on estuarine and oceanic properties. Coastal
Meteorology - understanding the local mesoscale atmospheric
phenomena such as the sea breeze, coastal front, and small-scale
frontal and precipitation structures associated with cyclone development.
Physical Oceanography- studying water circulation,
particle transport, and wind-wave characteristics with emphasis
on estuarine circulation, vertical water column structure, and
horizontal and vertical mixing within the water column. Chemical
Processes- examination of nutrient availability, cycling
of trace elements and plankton blooms in relation to water quality.
Biological/Microbiological Processes- examination
of pathways and time scales of carbon production and cycling in
surface waters with emphasis on primary production and microbial
dynamics in relation to nutrient availability and control by viral
populations.
Dates: 8 weeks from June 8 to August 1, 2003.
Residence: Student fellows will live on campus at SBU and have opportunities to interact socially with other undergraduates involved in research programs on campus. Our eastern Long Island location provides easy access to a variety of outdoor activities including swimming and boating, hiking, biking, and canoeing. Our proximity to New York City also allows opportunities to attend sporting events and many cultural activities.
Eligibility:
Applications are invited from undergraduate students who will
have completed at least two years of study towards a bachelor’s
degree and are still undergraduates during the summer of 2003.
They must have a B average or better in their major (i.e. Chemistry,
Biology, Geology, Physics). Participants must be U.S. citizens
or permanent U.S. residents. Persons with disabilities requiring
an accommodation, please call Josephine Aller (631-632-8655).
Stipends: Funding for participants are sponsored by the National Science Foundation and New York State Sea Grant. Fellows will receive $2500 stipends during their participation in the 8-week course. Dormitory housing, meals, basic health services, and travel support are also provided.
Deadlines: Applications are due by March 3, 2003. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by April 18, 2003.
Application Procedure: Applicants must 1) complete the application form which includes a short essay describing their scientific interests, educational plans, and expectations of the summer research experience; 2) provide official transcripts and list of courses in progress; and 3) two letters of recommendation. Application forms may be downloaded from the MSRC web site in Adobe Acrobat format(PDF) --Application Form-- or they can be obtained by calling, writing, or sending email to the following address:
Research Experience for Undergraduates
Marine Sciences Research Center
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, New York 11794-5000
Telephone: (631) 632-8726
FAX: (631) 632-3066
E-mail: egoldsmith@notes.cc.sunysb.edu