Dear Biology students, Please see the following email regarding summer research opportunities at the Montana State University. The Biology Department http://www.montana.edu/mbi/reu/ This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program is funded by the National Science Foundation to create "points of entry" for students interested in research. Students apply from across the country to spend 10 weeks in Bozeman, Montana this summer (*May 26, 2026 - August 1, 2026*). Admitted students are paired with a faculty mentor, who serves as an advisor for a student's summer project. Each student receives a stipend ($7000 for 10 wks). Travel compensation, room, and board are also provided. Our program leverages MSU’s unique microbiology expertise, focusing specifically on microbes living with little or no oxygen (like those in the hot springs of nearby Yellowstone). Low oxygen microbes are essential to human and ecosystem health. They influence (or control) such processes as the breakdown of food in the GI tract, removal of toxins from our bodies and the environment, and production of greenhouse gases. They are also models for understanding the origins of life on this planet, and the potential for life on other planets. A key goal of our program is to recruit students from schools with limited research infrastructure. Being in Montana, a state with a vibrant Native American community, we are particularly interested in applications from students at tribal colleges. However, ANYONE with an interest in microbiology - or biology/science in general - can and should apply. If willing and able, please share/tweet/spread the word far and wide. *Applications are due February 14, 2026.* Full details can be found through our website http://www.montana.edu/mbi/reu/ Our overarching goal is to help the next generation of scientists take their first steps in the field. Montana is beautiful in the summer! Send us your students! Frank J. Stewart Professor Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology Montana State University Health Sciences Building 107-E Bozeman, Montana 59717 frank.stewart@montana.edu 406-994-2235