Mountain Lake Biological Station's Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU-Sites) program has been sponsored by the National Science Foundation since 1993 (current NSF awards DBI-1461169 and DBI-1950734).  The program brings undergraduate students from around the country together for an exciting ten-week summer program of guided, but independent, original research in field biology.

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The MLBS REU program provides participants with take home a stipend of $6,250. It also covers all room and board expenses and has a project and travel budget.

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Participants pay no fees or tuition charges of any kind.

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The focus of scientific research at MLBS, and therefore of the REU program, is population biology at the intersection of field-based studies of ecology, evolution, and behavior. Student researchers work closely with researcher mentors in compatible areas of interest. Students take leadership roles in all aspects of the study; they design the study and prepare the proposal, collect data and perform analysis, and finally they interpret the results and prepare a written and oral presentation. Compared to many other REU programs, ours offers a high degree of independence in project choice and design.

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Mountain Lake is also special in its exciting, diverse, and friendly academic community. This atmosphere fosters collaboration at all levels, and promotes the constant exchange of ideas with fellow students and scientists. Many projects are submitted for publication in leading biological journals. Students also participate in a weekly seminar about the conduct of biological research. REU participants have access to state-of-the-art facilities and are granted full use of all Station scientific and computer equipment. English is used throughout the program.

• Undergraduate student participants supported with NSF funds in an REU Site program must be U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or permanent residents of the United States.
• An undergraduate student is a student who is enrolled in a degree program (part-time or full-time) leading to a baccalaureate or associate degree. Students who are transferring from one college or university to another and are enrolled at neither institution during the intervening summer may participate.
• High school graduates who have been accepted at an undergraduate institution but who have not yet started their undergraduate study are also eligible to participate.
• Students who have received their bachelor's degrees and are no longer enrolled as undergraduates are generally not eligible to participate.
• Students graduating in the May before the program are not eligible. Put simply, only applicants who are returning to an undergraduate program after the summer REU program are eligible.
• In addition, as a REU researcher you are expected to be in residence at the Station for the full ten weeks of the program. Special scheduling needs (raised. short trips away) can often be accommodated if raised in advance and agreed to by the research mentor and program coordinator.  Field biologists often work long and irregular hours six or seven days a week. REU program participants must agree to the same.
• Commuting is not permitted. It is also important to consider that field work is often physically strenuous and demanding. Program participants need to be physically fit and willing to embrace physical labor, demanding hiking, and long hours in the field in all weather conditions.