EMergent Ecosystem Response to ChanGE Biology Integration Institute

The NSF EMERGE Biology Integration Institute seeks post-baccalaureate scientists from any career stage - graduate student, postdoc, technician, faculty, and others - to train and engage in the multidisciplinary science of how ecosystems are responding to changes in the environment.

Attendees will learn & implement 4 core competencies of Interdisciplinary Ecosystem Science:

  1. Foundational Science, spanning: biomolecules; isotopes; biotic and abiotic interactions; math in biology; representing biology in models; remote sensing; data management; gene regulation & acclimation; genetic diversity & adaptation; community assembly
  2. Science of Team Science
  3. Mentor Training
  4. Science Communication

Attendees will meet in person for 1 week, virtually daily for a second week, and then meet as a cohort regularly over the following year to apply their trainings and collaboratively develop a paper.

This training, research, and professional development program is co-mentored by EMERGE faculty, and spans scientific scales from microbes, to plants, to remote sensing, and key team science skills including communication and mentoring.

Note that in order to participate and receive funding from the National Science Foundation, you must be a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident. (Interested non-residents/citizens with funding may be considered as space permits, and should apply indicating their self-funded status.)

When: Program dates TBD

Location: The University of New Hampshire and Zoom

Previous Summer Program Experiences

Summer 2024

The EMERGE Summer Program hosted 20 participants at the University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH (week 1- in person, week 2-virtual). The participants were from various institutions and career stages including assistant professors, postdocs, PhD and MS students, research assistants and technicians. More than 26 EMERGE scientists were involved in teaching the course over two weeks.

Summer Program and REU participants, along with EMERGE instructors and staff at the University of New Hampshire. Photo credit: D. Phan.


Summer Program participants and REU students during the workshop and the field day at Old Durham Reservoir. Top Rows: Co-director Dr. Ruth Varner, Apryl Perry, and Dr. Florencia Fahnestock demonstrating various field methods while at the Old Durham Reservoir. Middle: Franklin Sullivan demonstrating the drone controls. Participants watching Cherry Jones sample bubble traps on the water. Dr. Michael Palace lecturing on remote sensing. Middle Row: Group work during a Team Science session with Dr. Anne Mook. Enjoying Game Night at the Three Chimneys Inn. Bottom Row: Franklin flying the drone. Dr. Virginia Rich introducing the EMERGE fisheye figure. Program Coordinators, Heather Ingram and Dr. Brittany Fonner enjoying the field trip to Portsmouth, NH. Photo credits: B. Fonner and H. Ingram.


Summer 2023

Summer Program participants and REU students during the field day at Old Durham Reservoir. Photo credit: H. Ingram.


Summer 2022

Summer Program participants during the last evening of the week.