UNF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Program in Coastal Biology

Applicants for the UNF REU Program will need to complete an online application form. In addition to this form, students must also submit the following items, preferably in one email (excluding recommendation letters).

2023 Online Application Link

1. A one- to two-page resume or curriculum vitae describing any relevant jobs, internships, volunteer work, scholarships and/or other activities that you have held or participated in and other skills or accomplishments that you wish to identify.
2. A one- to two-page Statement of Interest describing your interests and career goals, the reasons why you hope to be selected for the program, how participation in the program will influence your career development, and the top two mentors that you hope to work with and why.
3. An electronic copy of your current college transcript. UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPTS ARE PREFERRED.
4. Two letters of recommendation from individuals capable of commenting in your academic qualifications. Letters of recommendation MUST be sent from the person writing the letter, preferably via email to REU@unf.edu either as an attachment or within the body of the email.

Check back regularly. More REU mentors will be added shortly!

Dr. Jim Gelsleichter, Shark Biology, Physiology, and Ecotoxicology

Dr. Gelsleichter's research program focuses on population ecology, reproductive biology, and ecotoxicology of fish, particularly sharks and their relatives. REU students working with Dr. Gelsleichter will conduct research projects focused on a diverse number of topics such as shark abundance in northeast Florida waters, the roles of gonadal steroids in shark sexual differentiation, stress responses in sharks, reproductive effects of methylmercury, and the effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill on Gulf of Mexico fishes.

Dr. Quincy Gibson, Dolphin Population Dynamics

Dr. Gibson's research is focused on the behavioral ecology of marine mammals, with an emphasis on social complexity and population dynamics. REU students working with Dr. Gibson participate in weekly boat-based photo-identification and behavioral surveys of estuarine bottlenose dolphins in the St. Johns River (SJR). Past student's projects have examined the link between female dolphin sociality and reproductive success, the impact of a large-scale unusual mortality event on SJR dolphins, and the prevalence of skin lesions as a non-invasive indicator of dolphin health.

Dr. Matt Gilg, Evolutionary Genetics

Dr. Gilg’s research program focuses on exploring the genetic basis of traits important for response to climate change, invasive species management and the evolutionary implications of hybridization.  REU students working with Dr. Gilg will conduct research projects focused on tolerance of coral species to stressors like elevated temperature and light intensity, the genetic diversity of introduced species of marine mussels, or the role habitat plays in hybridization of local killifish species. 

Dr. Eric Johnson, Coastal Fisheries Ecology

Eric Johnson: Dr. Johnson's research program applies basic principles of ecology and fisheries science to address important research questions related to important commercial and recreational fishery populations. Dr. Johnson has mentored 7 REU participants in the past 9 years, four of which were URMs. REU students working with Dr. Johnson will conduct integrated laboratory or field-based research projects focused on a diverse array of topics including 1) population biology of coastal fishes and crustaceans, 2) ecology of invasive species and 3) predator-prey dynamics and trophic interactions in coastal estuarine communities.

Dr. Scott Jones, Coastal Wetland Plant Ecology

Dr. Jones' research explores coastal wetland responses to global change and how plants influence ecosystem function. REU students working with Dr. Jones will conduct projects focused on plant-mediated carbon cycling in salt marshes and mangroves; freshwater wetland responses to salinity intrusion; or the role of landscape gradients on coastal wetland resilience to sea-level rise.

Dr. Amy Lane, Biochemical identification of natural products from marine microorganisms

Dr. Lane utilizes marine microorganisms to isolate organic molecules known as natural products. Natural products are promising lead compounds for the development of new antibiotics and act as the "words" of chemical languages "spoken" by microorganisms. These chemical communication signals drive interactions between organisms, including symbiosis, competition, and host-pathogen interactions. Deciphering the meaning of chemical signals enables understanding of marine microbial biodiversity and opens doors for improving marine ecosystem health. NSF REU fellows in the Lane group will select from the following projects:

1. evaluating natural products as chemical weapons utilized by marine microorganisms to thwart their competitors; or,
2. identifying genes and enzymes employed by marine microorganisms to assemble natural products that act as chemical weapons and as potential human antibiotics.

Dr. Adam Rosenblatt, Climate Change Ecology

Dr. Rosenblatt’s research program focuses on understanding the effects of climate change and urbanization on predators, food webs, and community stability. REU students in the Rosenblatt lab will conduct research as part of projects that may include 1) How the alligator population is distributed across Jacksonville and 2) How spider and insect communities are responding to extreme heat within cities. 

Dr. Frank Smith, Genomics and Developmental Genetics

Research in Dr. Frank Smith's lab follows a comparative approach to genomics and developmental genetics to study the origin and diversification of animal body plans.  More specifically, Frank Smith’s lab compares the development and genomics of tardigrades to other animals to gain insight into the evolution of the tardigrade body plan and the body plans of the closest relatives of tardigrades, the arthropods and onychophorans. The summer research project in Frank Smith’s lab will focus on elucidating the function of several candidate gut-patterning genes in the tardigrade Hypsibius exemplaris by using a combination of RNA interference, Hybridization Chain Reaction in situ, and laser scanning confocal microscopy.  The results of this study will illuminate the evolution of gut anatomy and the developmental mechanisms that control gut development. 

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is home to over 2000 animals and the Animal Wellness and Research team which conducts welfare and wellbeing related research to ensure that animals residing at the zoo are given opportunities to thrive. REU student projects will focus on the behavior and wellbeing of one or more coastal species, in which they will have the opportunity to learn a number of skills including the use of behavioral (e.g. ZooMonitor) and statistical (e.g. R Studio) software. Students will also have the opportunity to contribute to other research projects focused on a diverse number of species ranging from apes and rhinos to snakes and stingrays.

SEZARC

The South-East Zoo Alliance for Reproduction and Conservation is dedicated to increasing populations of rare and endangered species through reproductive science. SEZARC scientists perform reproductive health assessments, develop breeding plans, and conduct investigative research for zoo and aquarium species throughout the United States. Projects for this program will focus on enzyme immunoassay of biological samples from nurse sharks, zebra sharks, sand tiger sharks, manta rays or other elasmobranch species to better understand their reproductive biology and to support natural and assisted reproduction programs. We plan to include high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in the validation process for those assays. The student will be based at our laboratory in the Biology building at UNF.