Students in the following majors are encouraged to apply:
earth sciences (geology, geography, ecology)
biology
chemistry
biochemistry
engineering
environmental sciences
most Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math (STEM) fields
Students applying to Operation ETank will be expected to meet the following minimum criteria:
At least 60 credit hours from their home institutions;
A short statement (500 words maximum) detailing how the REU
experience will contribute to their overall career goals, how they
foresee a career in the research areas, and their interests, both
present and future, in STEM areas;
Two letters of recommendation;
A minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale; and
Students supported with NSF funds must be citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions.
Applicants will be ranked based upon four merit categories:
Clarity of the student’s statement;
Overall quality of the student, based on both GPA and recommendations;
Match with mentors’ research projects; and
Overall strength of the application.
In the event that we receive more applications that meet the
mandatory criteria described above than we are able to fund, then
applicants will be selected according to the following priority
criteria:
Students who have not previously worked on an organized research team; and
