Dr. La Rue (UTEP) and a graduate research assistant (UTEP) will work closely with Songlin Fei (Purdue) and other cross-institutional CoPIs (IU, UTK, Smithsonian) on project objectives for "Subaward from Collaborative Research: MRA: Elucidating Plant and Mycorrhizal Fungal Relationships and Consequences across Space and Time". Specifically, the graduate student and La Rue will contribute to analyzing a large cross-USA dataset recently generated by the project to understand linkages between plant and fungal diversity in diverse ecosystems. La Rue will meet regularly with the other PIs to synthesis results, including at a group workshop at the Smithsonian Ecological Research Center in Spring of 2024. The award will provide summer RA for a graduate student and travel to the workshop and a conference. [Per Joing Venture Agreement: Indirect Costs and Tuition Remission. In accordance with 7 U.S.C. 3319, indirect costs and tuition remission are not reimbursable to a State Cooperative Institution, as defined in 7 U.S.C. 3103 (18), under this agreement. Indirect costs and tuition remission, however, may be used by a State cooperative institution to satisfy matching or cost-sharing requirements. Per Cory's email 2/9/24, UTEP falls under the provision of the federal code above; so no indirect nor tuition remission allowed. CO]