u TREE is an intensive two-week research and education program for high school students interested in biology. The activities take place at Turtle Camp, a research site on the Mississippi River near Clinton, IA. Here, Professor Fredric Janzen of Iowa State University and his students study the ecology of painted turtles and other reptiles.

u Students selected to participate in TREE will be provided with camping supplies for use during TREE, food, and transportation free of charge. We will also be able to provide student stipends for the two-week period.

u For more information on Turtle Camp and TREE, please visit the following websites:

http://www.public.iastate.edu/~fjanzen/TREE/TREEsplash.html

http://www.mvr.usace.army.mil/missriver/CampingPage/TurtleCamp.htm

u Research: TREE students will participate in painted turtle nesting research and will perform planned ecological research projects with a team of undergraduate and graduate students. Teams will present their results as posters to the group and to U. S. Fish & Wildlife Service personnel at the end of the two-week period.

u Education: TREE students will read and discuss key ecological texts from the scientific literature as well as the popular press and will record their observations in journals.

u Outreach: TREE students will explain their research to the public and may assist in creating informational pamphlets and placards targeted toward the public.

u June 12 – High school TREE students arrive at Turtle Camp.

u June 24 – High school TREE students depart Turtle Camp.

u September 16 – Return to Turtle Camp to excavate painted turtle nests to retrieve the babies (optional).

u TREE students are expected to have a positive attitude and be open to diverse opinions and insights.

u TREE students are expected to be responsible, work hard, and, of course, have fun!

All Turtle Camp participants live in a modern campground with indoor restrooms, hot-water showers, and electrical access. Turtle Campers sleep in tents and typically cook over a campfire or camp stove. Thomson, IL (population 600) and Clinton, IA (population 27,000) are both within a short drive of camp and have laundromats, a library with occasional Internet access, restaurants, and movie theaters. While the campground is modern and towns are accessible, Turtle Camp can be challenging at times because of the heat, severe storms, and mosquitoes. The safety of Turtle Camp participants will remain the number one priority. TREE students will be expected to work during the morning, day, and evening; however, there will be plenty of personal time for phone calls and appropriate recreational activities.

***If you are accepted, you will receive a detailed packet of information regarding Turtle Camp and the area***

1. Please provide the following background information (type, or print clearly in ink):

Name (Last, First, Middle) Male Female

High school attending Current grade level

Address

Home phone # Cell # E-mail

Name of parent(s) or guardian(s)

Are you a U.S. citizen or permanent U.S. resident? YES NO

2. Please indicate of which ethnic group(s) you consider yourself a part (this response is voluntary):

African-American/Black/Afro-Caribbean Native Islander/Pacific Islander

Hispanic/Latino Asian

American Indian/Alaskan Native Caucasian/White

Other

3. Please list science classes you have taken in high school:

(Name of course, course year, letter grade in course)

4. Please describe your attitude towards living and working outdoors and indicate if you have previous experience doing so (camping, hiking, fishing, etc.). Also, please indicate if you have specific working condition needs (i.e., handicap accessible).

5. Please describe why you are interested in TREE and what you would hope to gain from this experience, specifically addressing how this experience will contribute to your education and/or career goals. Use standard 12-point font and make your response about 1 page typed.

6. Please have one letter of reference mailed or e-mailed directly to the address below. The brief letter should be written by someone who is not a relative.

7. Please mail or email completed applications to the following address on or before 3 March 2017:

Fredric Janzen (e-mail: )

EEOB Department

Iowa State University

251 Bessey

Ames, IA 50011

Application: This form and essay Liability waivers Survey letter Personal info sheet

NOTE: If you are accepted, information from your application may be provided to Iowa State University and/or to the National Science Foundation in grant applications for funding support. We will contact you with our decision by 20 March, at which point you may opt to have information omitted.