Menu
Programs Search
Resource Library
Webinars
Partners Directory
About us
Student research projects in the B2 REU emphasize interdisciplinary science in the context of environmental challenges and ecosystem resilience. Biosphere 2 infrastructure allows for unprecedented control at large scales and features a rainforest, an ocean, and the Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO) - a research instrument under glass for studying interactions among hydrologic, geologic, and biologic processes during formation of soil and landscapes. Research in the iconic, 3-acre Biosphere 2 facility is complemented by studies in nearby natural settings, including the NSF Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) that examines Earth systems processes along the elevation gradient of the Santa Catalina Mountains and at other field sites close to Tucson. REU student projects 1) address important Earth systems questions that cut across traditional disciplines and include multiple approaches and ways of knowing, 2) provide a unique combination of scale, control, and measurement for scientific inquiry, and 3) help students link their research to environmental challenges. We support the diverse cohorts of students by creating a welcoming and supportive environment that is focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and we provide training to mentors to ensure that students feel they are valued members of research teams.
REU Students receive: A competitive stipend, lodging at Biosphere 2's student village, food allowance, and travel to/from Tucson, AZ, as well as support for travel to a professional meeting to present their work.