Research experience for undergraduates (REUs)

This year we were lucky to get the funding allowing us to bring two undergraduate students to participate in the project. We are excited to welcome Christina and Tyler to our project. They will have the opportunity to work with us learning about the methods we use to address our research questions and then hopefully carving off their own research questions to answer while they are here. The REU (or USRA in Canada) is a great way for a young researcher to develop critical skills that will guide them in their future research directions. I benefited a lot from my undergraduate research experiences and would highly recommend these opportunities.

Christina studiously at work outlining a possible project.

Christina arrived yesterday after a long day of flying to reach Costa Rica and then taking a bus across the country to reach the site where we work. This is her first experience in the tropics so each minute brings many new species of birds, insects, plants and other exciting finds. As with Matt’s kids this makes many of the things we have become used to seeing over the years seem new and exciting all over again since through sharing them with somebody else. Tyler will arrive at the beginning of February.

-Adam