REU Site: Interdisciplinary Research Experiences in Louisiana's Changing Coastal Environments

REU 网站：路易斯安那州不断变化的沿海环境的跨学科研究经验

• 批准号: 2150358
• 负责人: Brian Roberts
• 金额: $ 52.92万
• 依托单位: Louisiana Universities Marine Corsortium
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-03-01 至 2025-02-28
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2150358&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: REU; Site; Interdisciplinary; Research; Experiences

The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) DeFelice Marine Center, located in Cocodrie, LA, will host a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program for eight students each summer. Coastal Louisiana serves as an ideal model system to study climate change impacts as rates of environmental change are substantially greater than most coastal systems in the US and abroad. The goal of the LUMCON REU site is to provide stimulating, challenging, and lasting research experiences for a highly qualified, diverse cohort of undergraduate student participants interested in careers in coastal and marine science. Specific objectives of the LUMCON REU program are to 1) expose students to a variety of research settings and disciplines of coastal and marine science, 2) facilitate experiences that guide students through the planning, execution, analysis, interpretation, and presentation phases of an independent research project, 3) train students in oral and written communication of science, 4) expose participants to the diversity of scientific career paths and role models, 5) teach participants about the linkages between scientific research and ecosystem management, and 6) develop a cohort of future scientists through common research experiences and opportunities for both formal and informal exchange between students, mentors, other scientists, students, and educators. This program will prepare participants for a diversity of careers in science, ecosystem management and/or policy by focusing on coastal environmental problems in Louisiana with relevance to issues faced elsewhere in the United States and abroad. Through a series of skill-building workshops and other opportunities, REU interns will learn to effectively communicate science to diverse audiences and outlets—skills beneficial in any pursued career path. This program will continue to build on a strong history and growing network of contacts to attract diverse cohorts of REU participants, including students from underrepresented and underserved groups in STEM (e.g., underrepresented racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups as well as disabled and non-traditional students and those from non-research institutions). REU interns will be part of LUMCON’s summer community affording them networking opportunities with visiting high school, undergraduate, and graduate students as well as researchers.The LUMCON REU program integrates research, education, and ecosystem management, a mission shared with LUMCON as an institution. The DeFelice Marine Center’s location on the upper end of Terrebonne Bay and its proximity to the Mississippi River and Atchafalaya River deltas, extensive estuaries and coastal wetlands, and coastal waters to the deep-water Gulf makes it an ideal venue for field and experimental based marine science. An emerging delta (Atchafalaya) and a degrading delta (Mississippi), combined with complex coastal processes (coastal erosion and wetland degradation), and continued nutrient inputs into the coastal zone provide diverse opportunities and challenges for both pure and applied research that have implications for coastal restoration, and flood control, and the vast living resources (oysters, shrimp, crabs, and fin fisheries) in the area. Focal areas of research currently include river/ocean interactions, delta formation and degradation, coastal loss and restoration, biodiversity, behavioral,general, and ecosystem ecology, biogenic systems, organic chemistry, geomicrobiology, biogeochemistry, and acute and chronic anthropogenic and environmental impacts including climate change, eutrophication/hypoxia, ocean acidification, and oil spills on coastal and marine systems. The combination of mentor research interests and expertise with the diversity of habitats in this region provides a unique opportunity for REU interns to participate in a scientific research and professional mentoring program that interfaces fundamental research questions in dynamic coastal and marine ecosystems with problems central to science-based policy and management activities.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

位于路易斯安那州科科德里的路易斯安那大学海洋联盟 (LUMCON) 德菲利斯海洋中心每年夏天将为 8 名学生举办本科生研究体验 (REU) 项目，作为研究气候变化影响的理想模型系统。 LUMCON REU 站点的目标是为对相关职业感兴趣的高素质、多样化的本科生参与者提供刺激、具有挑战性和持久的研究经验。 LUMCON REU 项目的具体目标是 1) 让学生接触沿海和海洋科学的各种研究环境和学科，2) 促进指导学生完成规划、执行、分析、解释和研究的经验。独立研究项目的演示阶段，3）培训学生口头和书面科学交流，4）让参与者了解科学职业道路和榜样的多样性，5）教导参与者科学研究和生态系统管理之间的联系，以及6）培养未来群体通过共同的研究经验以及学生、导师、其他科学家、学生和教育工作者之间正式和非正式交流的机会，该计划将重点关注沿海环境，为参与者在科学、生态系统管理和/或政策领域的多样化职业做好准备。通过一系列技能建设研讨会和其他机会，REU 实习生将学习如何向不同的受众和媒体有效地传达科学知识，这些技能对任何职业道路都有益。该计划将继续建立在悠久的历史和不断发展的基础上建立联系网络，以吸引不同群体的 REU 参与者，包括来自 STEM 中代表性不足和服务不足群体的学生（例如，代表性不足的种族、民族和社会经济群体以及残疾和非传统学生以及来自非研究机构的学生）。实习生将成为 LUMCON 暑期社区的一部分，为他们提供与访问高中、本科生、研究生以及研究人员建立联系的机会。LUMCON REU 项目整合了研究、教育和生态系统管理，德菲利斯海洋中心 (DeFelice Marine Center) 与 LUMCON 作为一个机构共同承担一项使命，该中心位于特雷博恩湾 (Terrebonne Bay) 的上端，靠近密西西比河和阿查法拉亚河三角洲、广阔的河口和沿海湿地以及深水湾的沿海水域。新兴三角洲（阿查法拉亚）和退化三角洲（密西西比）以及复杂的海岸过程（海岸侵蚀和湿地）的理想场所。退化），以及对沿海地区的持续营养输入，为纯粹研究和应用研究提供了多样化的机遇和挑战，这些研究对沿海恢复、洪水控制以及沿海地区巨大的生物资源（牡蛎、虾、螃蟹和鳍类渔业）产生影响。该领域目前的重点研究领域包括河流/海洋行为相互作用、三角洲形成和退化、海岸损失和恢复、生物多样性、一般和生态系统生态学、生物系统、有机化学、地球微生物学、生物地球化学以及急性和慢性。导师的研究兴趣和专业知识与该地区栖息地的多样性相结合，为 REU 实习生提供了参与科学研究和专业指导计划的独特机会，该计划将动态沿海和海洋生态系统的基础研究问题与反映科学核心的问题结合起来基于政策和管理活动。该奖项授予 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。