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Applications Open for 2025 Invasive Vines Winter Institute

August 26, 2025

December 6-13, 2025 hosted at the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras

The 2025 Integrative Approaches to Investigate Invasive Species and Landscapes Winter Institute will be led by faculty from the University of Puerto Rico at Rio Piedras (Dr. Carla Restrepo); University of Tennessee at Knoxville (Dr. Mona Papes), Rubino Research Consulting (Dr. Elena Rubino), and University of Florida (Dr. S. Luke Flory and Dr. Seokim Kim).

Program Overview

Global changes are reshaping species distributions and species interactions, community composition, and ecosystem functions at multiple scales. The extent and complexity of these changes makes it imperative to develop approaches that integrate environmental and socio-economic dimensions to address both the causes and consequences of these large-scale shifting distributions and also inform management strategies.

Through the Winter Institute, students will contribute to the development of this integrative approach through a focus on vines, a broad geographical region, and three goals. Vines are herbaceous climbing plants that are not only taxonomically and functionally diverse but also include numerous native and introduced proliferating species. The broad region encompasses dry to humid tropical biomes in the Caribbean to mesic and wet temperate biomes in the southeastern United States, a region known worldwide to be a hotspot of invasive vines. Here the spread of invasive vines may be driving large-scale ecosystem shifts, yet this possibility has been under-explored. The goals of the Winter Institute are to:

  1. Integrate remote sensing (RS) and species distribution models (SDMs)
  2. Develop and include social research into invasive species studies
  3. Engage graduate students and faculty in a regional research program on proliferating species while fostering regional interactions and collaborations around shared histories and a shared problem.

Participants of the Winter Institute are expected to contribute to a regional research project through the integration of the work into databases and papers. At least one publication is expected, and students will be included as authors. Additional opportunities for engagement include summer internships.

Program Dates

  • 09/28/25: Full applications due
  • 09/30/25: Research team will interview short-listed candidates
  • 10/02/25: Notification of application status
  • 10/04/25: Accepted students are notified

Program Eligibility

  • Open to graduate students (M.Sc. and Ph.D.). Exceptional fourth year undergraduate students may be considered.
  • Currently enrolled at Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (SE CASC) Consortium universities or USET Tribal Nations.
  • Good academic standing
  • Preference will be given to first and second-year graduate students
  • Students with research interests aligned with the major themes and/or approaches to be covered
  • Basic knowledge of R
  • Fluency in Spanish is desirable but not required

Application Materials

  • Brief statement (< 1 page) highlighting current research interests and how this experience will advance student’s interests.
  • CV/resume
  • Unofficial transcript
Apply here

Program Costs and Availability

All expenses, including airfare, lodging (double-occupancy rooms), and meals, will be covered by a grant awarded by the U.S. Geological Survey Southeast Climate Adaptation Science Center through the Ideas initiative.

Questions: Carla Restrepo (crestre@hpcf.upr.edu)