Summer Research Program in Ecology

The Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology is an opportunity for students to participate in on-going research at the Harvard Forest.
2004 Project Descriptions are now Available
Deadline March 1st, 2004
Before Applying please review the following.

• Program Description
• Research Projects
• Location Description
• Compensation
• Application Procedure
• Funding

Program Description:

Each student will participate in an on-going research project with a researcher from Harvard University, University of New Hampshire, Marine Biological Laboratory Ecosystem Center or other institutions. Responsibilities may include field sampling, laboratory studies, data analysis and scientific writing. In addition, students attend weekly seminars and workshops given by nationally known scientists on topics regarding ecosystem research, career planning, and graduate school preparation.

In July, participants attend a one-day symposium on careers in ecology at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies in Millbrook, New York. At the end of the summer, students will develop their research results, prepare an abstract, and present their findings at a student research symposium. View previous year's symposium abstracts.

Academic credit may be arranged with the student's home institution. Students are encouraged to give a presentation regarding their summer research project upon returning to their home institution.

Research Projects:

Harvard Forest research focuses on the effects of natural and human disturbances on forest ecosystems, including atmospheric pollution, global warming, hurricanes, treefalls, and insect outbreaks. Researchers come from many disciplines, and specific projects center on population and community ecology, paleoecology, land-use history, wildlife biology, biochemistry, soil science, ecophysiology, and atmosphere-biosphere exchanges. Summer 2004 projects and researchers are detailed here.

Harvard Forest:

The Forest is located in central Massachusetts about 70 miles west of Boston. The 3000-acre site lies in the Transition Hardwood-White Pine-Hemlock forest region, and includes a variety of forests and wetlands. Facilities include laboratories for nutrient analysis, physiological and population ecology, isozyme, tree-ring and pollen analysis; greenhouses; herbarium; computer laboratory; library; archives; and the Fisher Museum of Forestry.

Near-by Attractions: While the forest is in a rural area, summer students often visit the college-towns of Amherst and Northampton, take day trips to Cambridge and Boston, organize hikes in New Hampshire's White Mountains and explore Maine's coastline at Acadia National Park.

Compensation:

Students are paid a stipend of $3600 for the 12-week session that starting Tuesday, June 1st through August 20, 2003. The Forest also provides free housing at Fisher House and Raup House as well as a full meal program for participants who live on site.

To Apply:

• Send an application (in PDF format)
  
  
• Two letters of recommendation
  
  
• Copy of college transcript
  
  
• Resume
  
  
• To the attention of
  Harvard Forest
  Summer Program
  P.O. Box 68
  324 N. Main Street
  Petersham, MA 01366
  Applications may also be sent to hfapps@fas.harvard.edu
  or faxed to (978) 724-3595.
  
  
• Application Deadline: March 1, 2004.
  
  
• To receive the status of your application materials, include a self addressed, stamped envelope with your application.

Notification of Acceptance will be made by April 5, 2004.

For Additional Information: e-mail hfapps@fas.harvard.edu.

Funding:

A portion of the funding for this program is provided by the National Science Foundation's Research Experience for Undergraduates Program (REU) and the A.W. Mellon Foundation/United Negro College Fund Summer Internship Program for Ecology Research.