NMFS-RTR Program at Virginia Tech

The Population Dynamics Recruiting Program (PDRP) now offers a new summer opportunity for undergraduate students, unlike any other in the country. Student learn about a current, important marine resource case study by meeting with the university and agency researchers, managers, stakeholders, and policymakers involved during visits to the universities, marine institutes, and agencies where they work. The 4-6 week program involves only 4-8 top undergraduate students, all who must have previously participated in a PDRP Undergraduate Workshop.

Students are responsible for learning the background of their issue, developing questions for the individuals they'll meet, and ultimately developing multimedia Case Study Websites based integrating all that they've learned. Students who participate learn about marine resources in a way first-hand from the people involved, at the locations important to the issue. The students go wherever they need to understand the issue whether its visiting sports fishermen on a charter boat or meeting with field biologists on a sea turtle nesting beach.

The resulting case studies are then available for use in classrooms across the world, providing opportunities for the summer program students to share what they've learned. The students have to work incredibly hard to meet their deadlines, but along the way, they also have a great time, building new, long-term friendships.

The top students participating in the Summer Program may be offered Graduate Research Assistantships with the NMFS RTR Program at Virginia Tech. The Program also can refer students to other top graduate programs in the southeastern U.S .

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