REU Site: Ecology and Management for Resilient and Adapted Forests
Mississippi State University·Mississippi State, MS·2026 cycle
Closed for cycleEcology/Conservation/Evolutionary BiologyEarth Environmental and Planetary Sciences✓ verified
The Department of Forestry at Mississippi State University is hosting a summer National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (NSF REU) program from May 26 - July 31, 2026. The “Ecology and Management for Resilient and Adapted Forests” REU program is recruiting nine students to participate in active research under the guidance and supervision of nine faculty mentors who are dedicated researchers and educators in the College of Forest Resources. Faculty mentors include: Dr. Rajeev Bhattarai, Dr. Christine Fortuin, Dr. Joshua Granger, Dr. Kristy McAndrew, Dr. Adam Polinko, Dr. Krishna Poudel, Dr. Heidi Renninger, Dr. Ashley Schulz, and Dr. Courtney Siegert. The program will take place on the Mississippi State University campus in Starkville, MS. This REU program aims to: (i) train talented undergraduate students to become independent, science-literate researchers by challenging them with real-world problems in forestry, and (ii) develop methods and products to manage forests for resilience and to promote and strengthen them as a climate change solution. In addition to conducting research, students will participate in orientation, social activities, and professional development seminars and workshops to develop their scientific writing, communication, and data management and analysis skills, along with their knowledge of philosophy and current topics in forest science. At the end of the program, REU participants will present their research projects at the summer 2026 Mississippi State University Undergraduate Research Symposium, and have the opportunity to publish their research with their mentor(s) in a refereed journal. Questions about the REU program? Please contact the REU program coordinators, Dr. Ashley Schulz (ash.schulz@msstate.edu) or Dr. Adam Polinko (adam.polinko@msstate.edu).
applied forest ecology, biometrics, biosciences, climate science, conservation, ecology, ecophysiology, ecosystems, entomology, forestry, forest biology, forest stand dynamics, geospatial analysis, hydrology, management, Mississippi, plant pathology, pollinators, remote sensing, resilience, silviculture, short rotation woody crops, soil biogeochemistry, quantitative ecology
To be eligible for this REU program, you must be (1) at least 18 years old, (2) entering or returning to an undergraduate degree program in Fall 2026, and (3) a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Students who will graduate by June 2026 are not eligible to apply. Students should have a strong interest in working with plants in terrestrial forest ecosystems.
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