Field Biology Program at the University of Notre Dame – SUMMER 2018

Field Biology Program at the University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center

Your own field research, classes in the field, 3 credits/summer, tuition and housing provided, and a summer stipend ($3500 East, $4000 West)!!!

Apply now for UNDERC-East and -West for summer of 2018! These programs promote understanding of field biology and how field research is conducted through 10 weeks in the wilds. It begins with a summer at UNDERC-East in Michigan¹s Upper Peninsula and then the opportunity for a second summer at -West in Montana. UNDERC-East is open to 28 sophomores/juniors from any college/university. From the UNDERC-East class, 8 students (juniors or seniors) are selected for UNDERC-West. Each summer, you receive three-credits along with tuition, housing, travel between the Notre Dame campus and the site, and a stipend ($3500 at East, $4000 at West).

1)  UNDERC-East (May 21­ July 27): 8000 acres of lakes, streams, wetlands, and forests owned by Notre Dame and a core site in the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) that are home to abundant wildlife (including beaver, porcupine, black bear, deer, loon). Course modules include vertebrate ecology, invertebrate ecology, aquatic ecology and forest ecology with each providing background information, field research exercises, and group research projects designed by the class. Five or more weeks are spent by each student designing and conducting their own field research project under direction of faculty or graduate students. Projects have ranged from fish, insect and mammal behavior and ecology to forest, lake and stream ecosystem ecology to local Native American ecosystem use.

2)  UNDERC-West (June 6 ­ August 15, pre-requisite is UNDERC-East): Explore more than a million acres on the National Bison Range and Flathead Reservation that includes grasslands, montane forests, streams and lakes that are home to abundant wildlife (including bison, elk, mountain lions and grizzly bear). Course modules like those at UNDERC-East include wildlife ecology, grassland ecology, and montane ecology, as well as an environmental history/Native American ecology module (in part during the cross-country drive to and from -West). Each student conducts an independent research project in collaboration with a faculty or graduate
student advisor that is more advanced given the skills learned at UNDERC-East. Recent projects have included invasive plant ecology, animal behavior and habitat relationships, grassland, forest, wetland and stream dynamics, and Native American plant and wildlife use. Applications are available online (http://underc.nd.edu).

Further information can be obtained at the UNDERC website (http://underc.nd.edu), or from Dr. Michael Cramer, UNDERC East Assistant Director (mcramer@nd.edu), or Dr. David Flagel, UNDERC West Assistant Director (dflagel@nd.edu). Application deadline is Friday, November 10, 2017 and notification of acceptance will be provided by Monday, December 11, 2017. Acceptance is based on past academic performance and a statement of purpose. Preference is given to students pursuing a career in environmental sciences. Applicants are required to be present for the duration of the course.

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