Earth, Oceans, and Space REU Program

Marine microbes cover a diversity of organisms that account for more than 98% of ocean biomass. They are fundamental for oceanic food webs and thus ecosystem function and services. Research within the Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory aims to understand microbial and biogeochemical processes and their role in the cycling of growth-limiting nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphorus) as well as organic and inorganic carbon in marine environments. REU students will be involved with field measurements in the Gulf of Maine and its estuaries, and with laboratory research focusing on microbial growth and metabolic rates along with carbon chemistry, and how these rates and parameters are affected by anthropogenic stressors such as ocean acidification, sea surface warming, and ocean pollutants (e.g., microplastics, spilled oil). Students will gain skills in marine sensor deployment, lab incubation methods, and statistical data analysis.

Mentor: Dr. Kai Ziervogel

Seagrasses are important ecosystems that help mitigate climate change, clean the water, and support local fisheries and biodiversity. Globally, these sensitive ecosystems are in decline, with numerous international efforts attempting to monitor their health and evaluate the effectiveness of conservation programs. As seagrasses photosynthesize and sway in currents, underwater sound and surface cameras can be used to monitor their health. Research within 3 centers: CARE (Center for Acoustics Research and Education), CCOM (Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping), and SMSOE (School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering) aims to understand the relationship between hydrodynamics and underwater acoustics in seagrass beds, enabling the design of better sensor-based seagrass health monitoring systems. To better study this complicated interaction, researchers are using a model seagrass bed seeded with bubbles in a 10-m-long flume in the laboratory. REU students will be involved with running the flume and collecting acoustic and hydrodynamic data. They will gain skills in the processing and interpretation of acoustic and hydrodynamic signals.

Mentors: Dr. Gabriel R. Venegas

Marine pathogens spread quickly and can decimate important coastal ecosystems like seagrass meadows and coral reefs. The loss of ecosystems impacts coastal communities and economies that rely on these marine organisms and their ecosystem services. In this project, students will explore how the flow of water can drive the spread of these diseases, either by causing plant-to-plant contact in seagrass meadows or by transporting tissue fragments or sediment between diseased corals. This project will use synthetic physical systems and a laboratory flume to study the physics of disease spread. Students will gain skills in 3D solid modeling or 3D printing, quantitative imaging, and data analysis.

Mentor: Dr. Tracy Mandel

Estuaries – where rivers meet the ocean – are hotspots for biodiversity, as well as early indicators of water contamination issues and climate change impacts. Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP) researchers within SMSOE use a suite of in-situ water sensors along with surveys of seagrass coverage and indicator species (shellfish, green crabs, lobster, and oyster reefs) to help monitor estuary ecosystem health and develop best management practices for nutrient pollution. The PREP organization helps communities around UNH better manage their two estuaries of national significance: the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary and the Great Bay Estuary. Due to its community focus, PREP’s expertise and student training includes participatory process design and facilitation, and science communication. REU students will collect and analyze data from estuary in-situ sensors. Skill development includes not only data analysis, but also community outreach and science communication.

Mentor: Dr. Kalle Matso and Dr. Bror Jonsson

Our technology-driven society is dependent upon satellite technology for communication, navigation, and national security, as well as upon a reliable power grid for everyday needs such as money transactions, job functions, and food storage. These infrastructure systems are vulnerable to geomagnetic activity, when charged particles in the space surrounding Earth are energized and transported due to energy input from the Sun. Researchers in the Space Science Center use satellite- and ground-based sensor data to study the particles and fields in this region of space. Emerging machine-learning methods are being tested to evaluate their ability to use these datasets to model geomagnetic storms and predict when these events could cause power outages and other disruptions. REU students in the Space Science Center will conduct a project that incorporates one or more of these data sets. Skill development may include satellite and/or ground data processing, data visualization, and machine learning methods.

Mentor: Dr. Amy Keesee