Are you an undergraduate looking for a summer research opportunity in the broad fields of evolution, ecology, or environmental biology? Consider a new a new REU program based in the Dept. of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB) at Harvard. The program is called Evolution, Ecology, and Environment (E3 REU) and we will be welcoming our first group of interns summer of 2019. We are particularly interested in identifying underrepresented minority or first generation students who are interested in exploring research opportunities in evolution and ecology that might not otherwise be available at their home institution.

What kinds of science research opportunities are available? Research will be based in faculty labs drawn from OEB as well as the Harvard University Center for the Environment, which includes faculty from a number of Harvard departments and schools, including the Dept. of Earth and Planetary Science and the Paulson School for Engineering and Applied Science. That means that research projects may cover anything from developmental genetics to comparative genomics to systematics to global ecology to physiology to biogeochemistry.

Does the program involve more than just lab-based research? Of course! There will be weekly meetings with students in the E3 REU program as well as other Harvard-based summer research programs that will help interns develop a wide range of professional skills to support their success in graduate school. In addition to these weekly meetings, students will attend the annual Leadership Alliance National Symposium (all travel/lodging/meals covered), and there will be regular social activities and field excursions. You can find out more about the program here and here.

How do students apply and when is the deadline? Students apply through the Leadership Alliance Summer Research-Early Identification program, whose deadline is February 1, 2019. Students interested in the Harvard E3 REU should select Harvard University, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences as at least one of their target programs in their application.

What if I have more questions? You should start with our FAQ but feel free to contact Dr. Elena Kramer (ekramer@oeb.harvard.edu), who is leading the new REU.