Research Experience for Undergraduates
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Student Opportunities
- Courses at BML
- Biological Sciences Major: Marine Biology Area of Emphasis
- Summer 2008 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
in Marine Science (Application Deadline 3/21/08) - Financial Assistance: The John H.C. and Mary Louise Riley Scholarship Fund
Bodega Marine Laboratory puts an uncommon array of scientific resources at your fingertips—not just sophisticated tools, but also personal training from top scientists in their fields. The facilities—from lab to lecture hall—are oufitted with technology and accessible. In your research, you may use a laser confocal microscope, compound microscopes, research aquaria, a tidal mesocosm, greenhouses, computers, wet labs, and DNA sequencing to explore original scientific questions.
The Cadet Hand Library is available to student researchers 'round the clock. Moreover, you will have frequent one-on-one interactions with scientists who are leading experts in disciplines ranging from marine ecology to molecular processes.
In courses at BML, you also learn from visiting distinguished scholars who present weekly seminars and frequently interact with students at both the lab bench and the dinner table. Our undergraduate programs give you the chance to go beyond what you learn from your textbooks—from being a science student to working as a scientist.
Learning takes place not just within the classroom, but also in the field—on
the beach with the surf washing your feet, on a wind-swept bluff or in
a tidal marsh—where it's up to you and your peers to discover the
answers for yourselves. You may find yourself challenged to explain the
patterns of how animal populations are distributed along the shore. 
Or you might collect samples to determine water quality and its effects
on marine and estuarine life. The questions are never multiple-choice,
and the answers can't be found in the back of the book. In the lab, you take the driver's seat and pursue your own topic of
research, with state-of-the-art instruments and technology at your disposal.
The choice of research areas is broad, from cell biology to marine and terrestrial ecology, from genetics to plant biology, from fish biology to environmental toxicology. You'll gain experience presenting your research in a professional format to an audience of professional scientists. Some students even publish their findings in scholarly journals; others expand their projects into thesis research when they enter graduate school.
Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
in Marine Science
Bodega Marine Laboratory is seeking motivated undergraduate students interested in marine science careers to participate in a Summer Research-Experience-for-Undergraduate Program, supported by the National Science Foundation. Over eight weeks (June to August), students will develop confidence and independence in doing research and communicating science.
Faculty and other mentors will provide one-on-one research training, from choosing a topic to writing a paper, in a friendly supportive environment. Students will learn how to communicate their research results in an effective way in special modules during the program. Students will also develop essential career survival skills, including scientific ethics. Learn more about BML's REU Program.
