Stone Laboratory, The Ohio State University’s island campus on Lake Erie, is seeking undergraduate students from across the country for its 2026 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Fellowship Program. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. Eastern time on Feb. 27, 2026.
The 2026 REU Fellowship is open to undergraduates from any U.S. college. The upcoming fellowship runs from June 8 through July 31, 2026. In addition to a $5,500 stipend, it includes free room and meals for the duration of the experience.
For the eight weeks of the fellowship, the REU students live on Gibraltar Island, where Stone Laboratory is located. There, they will work alongside top scientists to conduct research on aquatic ecology, environmental policy, coastal wetlands, and limnology. Through close work with research supervisors, students will use scientific equipment, collect data, and write about and present their research during the eight-week program.
“The REU program pairs excellent college students with an aspiration to conduct research with top scientists in the Great Lakes area,” said Justin Chaffin, coordinator for the REU program.
“The REU students conduct a full research project within 8 weeks, beginning with developing a research question, designing an experimental plan to address it, collecting data, and giving a final presentation to their peers. Many REU students go on to grad school or start careers in STEM,” said Chaffin.
In the 20 years since its inception, the REU program has helped future science professionals shape their interest and gain professional experience in researching and communicating their ideas.
“The REU program at Stone Lab provides a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to present on a research project they completed,” said Jason Gostiaux, a former REU fellow who worked with Great Lakes researcher Dr. Chris Vandergoot on telemetry research. Gostiaux is now a fisheries biologist with the Michigan Department of Natural Resources.
“Working with Chris allowed me to see what was capable as a research biologist for a state agency and fueled my passion to pursue my career in the fisheries field. The REU projects completed at Stone Lab have real-world implications. For example, the results from my REU project influenced how future telemetry projects would be developed to answer questions about Walleye movement within Lake Erie.”
Interested students applying for the REU program must submit their college transcripts, a resume, a cover letter, and two completed recommendation forms. Full application requirements and more information on the REU program can be found at go.osu.edu/reu.
Ohio Sea Grant is supported by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University Extension, and NOAA Sea Grant, a network of 34 Sea Grant programs nation-wide dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of marine and Great Lakes resources. Stone Laboratory is Ohio State’s island campus on Lake Erie and is the research, education, and outreach facility of Ohio Sea Grant and part of CFAES School of Environment and Natural Resources.