NC State
MEAS Undergraduate Updates

NSF summer paid undergraduate research experience in Community GIS and Citizen Science in Belize and Orlando

This summer at the University of Central Florida, we are pleased to host the fourth year of our National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site “Preparing the Next Generation of Scholars through Community GIS and Citizen Science.” Our program offers fully funded summer research experiences for undergraduate students in Belize and Orlando for 7 weeks.  The program is open to all U.S. students and runs June 3 – July 18, 2019.  We are interdisciplinary in nature emphasizing community GIS, citizen science, drones and spatial storytelling through mixed methods.

 

We’re hosting a Facebook Live Event “Secrets to an Awesome Citizen Science GIS REU Application” on Tuesday, February 26 @ 3 pm EST. Join Dr. Hawthorne (REU PI) and Dr. Hannah Torres (REU Faculty Mentor) as we give away the secrets to a successful application to our National Science Foundation (NSF) #REU Site in Orlando and Belize. Students can join the discussion at https://www.facebook.com/citizensciencegis

 

More about our REU Site: This year’s research direction is focused on mapping coastal and island resiliency with drones and spatial storytelling. Students will work with community partners and mentors from University of Central Florida, University of Belize, The Hopkins Belize Village Council, and TheSmithsonian National Museum of Natural History’s Caribbean Coral Reef Ecosystems Program.

 

Compensation: Each REU student will receive a competitive funding package, including a $3500 research stipend, a meal allowance, free shared housing in Belize and Orlando, up to $750 in travel support to/from the REU Site, up to $750 for post-REU conference travel, and 2 research methods books.

 

Application process: The priority application deadline is Friday, March 15th @ 5 PM EST.  Complete program information and application instructions can be found at http://www.citizensciencegis.org/projects/reu-belize-2018.

 

Student reflections from the field: “Challenging, emotional, fun, collaborative, thought-provoking, interesting, real-life, and eye-opening.”  These are some of the words used by students to describe our previous research program.  Check out a short video from our REU fieldwork at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K5zSFKw7F24&feature=youtu.be

 

Questions can be directed to:

  • Dr. Timothy Hawthorne: Principal Investigator, Assistant Professor of Geographic Information Systems at University of Central Florida

o   timothy.hawthorne@ucf.edu

o   phone: 407.823.1030

Check us out on the web and share on social media!

 

Dr. Timothy L. Hawthorne

Assistant Professor of Geographic Information Systems

Associate Editor, The International Journal of Applied Geospatial Research

Principal Investigator of the NSF REU Site in Community GIS and Citizen Science

 

University of Central Florida

Department of Sociology

Orlando, Florida 32816

 

Office: 403-P Howard Phillips Hall

Email: timothy.hawthorne@ucf.edu

Office Phone # 407-823-1030

 

http://citizensciencegis.org

http://facebook.com/ucfgis

http://twitter.com/ucfgis