REU Site: Natural History Research Experiences

The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), located in Washington, D.C. will host a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site during the summers from 2024-2028. The REU program will support 12 students each summer for 10 weeks, during which students will conduct independent research and participate in a variety of professional development workshops.

Projects focus on the NMNH's research strengths in geology, biology, and in anthropology. Interns are given unparalleled access to the collections, facilities, and intellectual resources of NMNH while they develop a research project in close collaboration with a museum research scientist. The program is designed to support and prepare participants for entry into scientific careers by providing structured counsel on entering graduate school, designing, conducting and publishing research, and presenting results to the scientific community and the public.

While these experiences will provide students with technical skills and pathways into science careers, the training will also encourage the development of critical thinking and presentation skills that will be valuable in any future career. NMNH is committed to broadening participation and enhancing diversity in natural history disciplines in order to develop an internationally competitive scientific work force for the future.

In addition, the REU students will directly engage the museum-going public about their research, interacting with thousands of museum visitors annually.

Natural History Research Experiences (NHRE) engages 12 undergraduate students annually in independent research projects under the mentorship of National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) scientific staff members. NHRE is designed for promising undergraduates who have had few opportunities to fulfill their potential as researchers in natural history disciplines.

NHRE is structured around the mentor-student relation, with 80% of the time being devoted to the research project. During the remaining time, the interns participate in enrichment activities that include research, collections, and outreach aspects. They also participate in professional development activities, are discussants in decolonization workshops tailored to spark critical thinking related to museum practices, and receive training in ethics, communication, and workplace conduct.

Projects focus on the NMNH’s research strengths in geology, biology, and anthropology. Interns work on hypothesis-driven research projects, which they can take ownership of at the end of the program. Interns have unparalleled access to museum collections, facilities, and intellectual capital to complete their projects.

The success of the NHRE will be judged by its effects on student attitudes toward STEM, interns’ subsequent educational/career paths, the extent of mentor-student collaborations as measured by peer-reviewed publications, presentations at professional conferences, ongoing alumni mentoring and alumni peer networking, and by our success in broadening participation in natural history careers. With more than 4 million visitors annually, the NMNH is uniquely positioned to educate and inspire the public about natural history research.

NHRE leverages Smithsonian’s excellence in education and communication, exposing the interns to the entire museum, not just the science departments. As part of our “The Expert Is In” outreach program, interns will directly engage the museum-going public about their research, interacting with thousands of museum visitors. NHRE is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion in natural history disciplines, and broadening participation: at least 50% of interns will be underrepresented minorities, first-generation college students, persons with disabilities, and veterans.

Half of the NHRE participants will be from institutions without a graduate program, where opportunities in STEM are limited.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.