The Tarhan Lab will be participating in this year’s Summer Undergraduate Research in the Environmental Sciences (SURES) program through the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies. Specifically, we are seeking a summer 2025 undergraduate researcher in the area of Investigating Environmental Patterns in Marine Bioturbation.

Description: Bioturbating marine animals (animals that inhabit, burrow in and mix seafloor sediments) are powerful ecosystem engineers. Their activities shape the physical and chemical composition of seafloor sediments, the ecology of seafloor communities, and global marine biogeochemical cycling. Despite their importance, however, major questions remain regarding both drivers of modern bioturbation and the factors underlying major changes in bioturbation behaviors and intensities over the last 540 million years of Earth’s history. Untangling relationships between bioturbation and climate, nutrient cycling, community composition, and ocean chemistry in ancient and modern settings is crucial both for reconstructing the evolutionary history of bioturbating animals and for forecasting their responses to anthropogenic climate change. The Tarhan Geobiology Lab seeks a motivated, curious undergraduate student to assist with several bioturbation-related projects ongoing in our lab, including an investigation of Zoophycos, a complex, enigmatic burrow whose appearance in the fossil record may be associated with past changes in ocean chemistry and nutrient cycling; an exploration of spatial, environmental and geologic trends in trace fossil preservation; and assessment of the intensity and variability of bioturbation on the modern deep seafloor (using samples recently collected from an Atlantic Ocean shipboard research expedition). We also anticipate opportunities for the student to pursue additional research questions arising from these projects. As part of this fellowship, the student will develop skills in field geology and paleontology (including stratigraphic logging and recognition of trace fossils and fossilized bioturbated sediments in geologic outcrops), collection and interpretation of geochemical data, database construction, and statistical analysis of paleontological data. The student should be prepared to spend approximately one week working outdoors (and tent camping) during fieldwork in the Hudson Valley for the Zoophycos project, but no prior field or camping experience is required, and all field gear will be provided by the Tarhan Geobiology Lab. The additional seven weeks of the fellowship will take place in New Haven and be based in Yale’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences.

Dates: May 29, 2025–July 25, 2025

Locations: New Haven, CT and Hudson Valley, NY

In addition to research activities, the SURES program also includes a light on-campus curriculum oriented toward building research capacity, including responsible conduct of research, statistics in R, scientific writing, and applying to graduate school. Fellowships will include dormitory housing and meals, a summer stipend of $5,500, support for travel to and from campus, and all research expenses. Rising juniors and seniors from 4-year colleges and universities are eligible to apply; applications from students at 2-year programs will also be considered.

Application deadline: February 13, 2025

For additional information on program requirements and eligibility and to apply, please visit the SURES website.