REU students gather and analyze water and sediments from the Esopus Creek
The 2012 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program is underway this summer. Funded by the National Science Foundation, REU sponsors 12 students from New Paltz and nine other highly reputable campuses to participate in a challenging eight-week research project. This is a unique opportunity for students to study a comprehensive Watershed Characterization approach at SUNY New Paltz in collaboration with the New York State Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).
The REU program involves an interdisciplinary investigation of watershed and stream characterization on the upper Esopus Creek watershed, which is currently being studied by the DEP. Each REU student has been conducting research under the supervision of a faculty mentor in one of the fields of chemistry, ecology, geomorphology, geography and hydrology. The project focuses on the Stony Clove sub-basin of the upper Esopus Creek watershed, an area well-suited to study due to its proximity to the New Paltz campus.
The REU program aims to promote the professional development of New Paltz undergraduate students and instill a better understanding of and appreciation for the complexity of watershed characterization and management. In addition, the program provides undergraduate students with meaningful, satisfying research experiences that improve their skills in applying the scientific method to hands-on research, train each student in modern research techniques, and lead students to greater independence in pursuing their research interests.