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Plant Sciences – Undergraduate Research

REU-Plants

Interdisciplinary research experiences for undergraduates in the plant sciences: from genomes to phenomes to landscapes

Program is Open for 2023 Summer.

The selection of applicants will start on March 17 and will continue until all openings are filled.

Tentative Program dates for 2023: May 30 - Aug. 4

For information about Brookings.

Summary of Program

This NSF funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site award at South Dakota State University invites ten (10) undergraduate students to participate in a unique research program that will broaden your perspective in state-of-the-art technologies, will provide you with an interdisciplinary research experience, and will introduce you to research and challenges in the modern plant sciences.

For ten (10) weeks during the summers of 2020-2022, you will work on innovative research projects with experienced faculty mentors from the Biology and Microbiology Department, the Agronomy, Horticulture and Plant Science Department and the Natural Resource Management Department, and will be integrated into a multidisciplinary research environment. During the 10-week program, you will become actively involved in a wide range of research topics ranging from crop breeding, functional plant genomics and phenomics, next generation sequencing and bioinformatics, plant biotic interactions (beneficial and pathogenic), soil science and plant ecology. A genomics jamboree will engage you and your mentors in next generation sequencing, genome assembly, gene annotation and bioinformatics, and will allow you to work actively in teams.

In addition to pursuing your independent research projects, you will participate in a boot camp that will provide you with the essential background to develop and design the experiments for your internship project, and in workshops and discussions about the ethical conduct of research, successful graduate program applications, and entrepreneurial and industry career opportunities after graduation.

Students from schools with limited research opportunities (e.g. community colleges, smaller baccalaureate colleges) or from under-represented groups (African Americans, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Latinos) are particularly encouraged to apply.

Three Project Interest Fields

DNA Genomics graphic

Genomes

Phenomes Lab

Phenomes

Researcher is marking plants

Landscapes

Program Dates

Tentative dates!: May 30 - August 4, 2023 (10 weeks)

Participant Support

Stipend of $600 per week ($6,000 for a total of ten weeks), travel expenses, $100 per week food allowance, and free housing on campus.

Applicant Requirements

U.S. citizenship or permanent residency; declared major in biology, environmental sciences, plant sciences or other related fields; freshman year completed by May 31, 2023; interest in research in a multidisciplinary environment.

To Apply

See link to electronic application on the right menu. Please contact Dr. Jose Gonzalez for interest and questions. Required documentation for completion will include:

  • Filled application form with five preferred research topics
  • Short cover letter (1 page maximum) that describes your interest in this opportunity and your future career goals
  • Official transcripts
  • Two reference letters (provide the link of reference submission to your references)
Application Review Start

Applications will begin to be reviewed on March 17, 2023 for selection. Applications will be considered until all openings are filled.

Location

South Dakota State University (SDSU) is the State´s Land Grant Institution and the largest academic institution in South Dakota with an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students. The SDSU campus is located in Brookings, SD, a town with 25,000 people. Brookings offers a variety of restaurants, entertainment, and outdoor sporting activities. Brookings lies just 49 miles north of Sioux Falls (a metropolitan area of more than 265,000, at the intersection of Interstate 29 and U.S. Highway 14).

Program Advisors

Mentors