Homeschooler opportunity @ MWSU

Please note: The attachments are not included. If you are interested, you
must contact Mr. Hartman directly. His contact information is below.


Hello Home Schoolers and Parents,

I am looking for ONE OR MORE "high school age" students to work with me in
the Summer Research Institute (SRI) at Missouri Western State University.
This is a collaboration with "high school age" students including
graduating seniors, college students at Missouri Western, and faculty. My particular
project would involve "Forest, prairie, soil sampling and management at
Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge," which is 25 miles north of St.
Joseph. This is a unique project in that we are sampling the vegetation
and environment of a pristine prairie and describing the natural pattern and
processes on this site. Students who join this project will receive two
free hours of college research credit at Missouri Western State University.

The Summer Research Program is roughly 7 weeks long and can be 10-14 hours
per week. The project can start June 1, but if students wish to start
earlier, they are welcome to. STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE EXCELLENT TRAINING
DOING REAL PUBLISHABLE SCIENCE AND 2 CREDITS OF MWSU RESEARCH CREDIT THAT
CAN EITHER BE USED AT MISSOURI WESTERN OR IS TRANSFERABLE TO ANOTHER
COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY. I'm very flexible on the time as well as the days that
a student can work. They will technically be a Missouri Western student
and have all of the privedges involved including library use, use of athletic
facilities, etc. So again, we're quite flexible. I will be supervising
the students and providing transport if it's to the Squaw Creek Refuge. Also
much of the project will be on the campus of Missouri Western. Basically
the requirements for students are enthusiasm and ability to get to the
campus.

So for a student to sign up, I've attached an info letter and application.
The deadline is officially FRIDAY MAY 15, 2009 but this can be extended.
If a student is interested, please have them contact me at
khartman3@missouriwestern.edu and/or call 740-707-7880 (cell). If they
would have trouble getting the application in by the deadline, please have
them contact me as well, and I'll let the program administrators know that
the application is coming.

We'll be doing vegetation sampling and measuring the % cover, productivity,
and diversity of plots on the hills at Squaw Creek National Wildlife
Refuge.
We'll also take soil samples and measure the amounts of 13+ chemicals and
correlate them with each other and the distribution of plants on the hill.
Other measurements that we might take would include abiotic variables such
as temperature, soil moisture, and humidity. This will all be used to make
recommendations for environmental restoration conducted at the refuge and
throughout the state.

So thank you, and please let or others know that if they also have students
who are interested to let me know. It will be a great experience.

Thanks again and let me know if you have some students who might be
interested.
ADVERTISEMENT AND STUDENT APPLICATION ARE ATTACHED.

Sincerely,
Kurt Hartman
740-707-7880 cell

Kurt M. Hartman
Department of Biology
201 Agenstein Hall
Missouri Western State University
St. Joseph, MO 64507
khartman3@missouriwestern.edu816-271-4382 office