The University of Florida will offer an International Research Experiences for Undergraduate Students Program funded by the National Science Foundation during the summers starting in 2023. In this 10-week summer program, students will conduct research in conservation science in southwest China. If travel is restricted due to the pandemic, the program will take place all or in part in Gainesville, Florida.
Applications due: February 15th, 2023
Notification date: by March 6th, 2023
Program begins: Monday May 22nd, 2023
Program ends: Friday August 6th, 2023
This IRES program will provide U.S. undergraduate students a rare opportunity to conduct interdisciplinary research on human-wildlife feedbacks in flagship protected areas in a biodiversity hotspot in the mountains of southwestern China. Students will work with U.S. PIs from the University of Florida and experts at China West Normal University in Sichuan, China. We ideally plan to spend two weeks in Florida and 8 weeks in China, but exact travel dates may vary due to post-covid visa restrictions.
Students will join long-term research projects related to three main types of human-wildlife feedbacks that are representative of those seen around the world. Feedbacks include complex interactions between (1) forest recovery and wildlife crop raiding, (2) antibiotic use in livestock rearing and the microbiome of giant pandas, and (3) interaction between non-timber forest product (NTFP) collection and wildlife occurrence. The diverse collection of interrelated projects will give students the opportunity to gain experience implementing a variety of field and lab techniques (e.g., infrared camera trapping, vegetation surveys, specimen collecting, molecular biology techniques, microbial ecology research techniques, and semi-structured interviews) as they tackle key questions that shape cutting-edge development of interdisciplinary and systems-level research on wildlife conservation.
Student participants will gain soft skills and have career building opportunities through professional development workshops offered during the program. While abroad, students will also have a rare opportunity to be immersed in Chinese culture and expand their worldviews, in turn better preparing them to join the global internationalized workforce.
$500 in weekly stipend (for 10 weeks) Weekly food expenses covered while in China Housing expenses covered Travel costs covered
Undergraduate students from any university who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents are invited to apply. Students from underrepresented backgrounds and minority groups are especially encouraged to apply. Students should be at a junior or sophomore level at the time of application.
To Apply
Send the following application materials in email attachments to vhull@ufl.edu :
1. Answers to 3 short essay questions:
What would you hope to get out of this program? (250 words) What are your career goals? (250 words) Why China? (250 words)
2. cv/resume
3. Pdf of your transcript (unofficial)
4. Names/emails of 2 people who agree to write reference letters if contacted by us
