Graduate Research Traineeship Program in Environmental Physical and Mathematical Science & Engineering: Environmental Hazard Mitigation

该提案要求在五年内提供537，500美元，以支持博士学位。 圣母大学土木工程和地质科学系的研究生。 这些学生进行的研究将集中在减轻自然和人为环境危害的关键领域。 CE/GEOS单位具有独特的定位，从多学科的角度来解决环境危害，因为它的教师是一个综合的个人与科学和工程学位的组合。 在这个多学科框架内，可以创造性地攻击的关键问题是垃圾填埋场的抗震设计技术和相关的不确定性建模和风险评估，地表水和地下水系统中有毒化学品的数学建模，以及有害物质的生物降解。 获得的支持将扩大高素质的学生进行国家的最先进的研究，补充和扩大旨在确保卓越的博士学位部门的活动的机会。教育 将特别强调从学术界代表性不足的群体中识别、招聘和留住学生，五个申请奖学金中的两个被指定用于支持这些学生。 为了增加这一申请人的人数，与三所毕业生人数不足的大学（草原景观农工大学、得克萨斯南方大学和圣玛丽玛丽学院）建立了联盟。 该计划的结构将实现准备学生的领导职位作为教师和研究人员在环境危害缓解的各个方面的目标。

This proposal seeks $537,500 over five years to support Ph.D. graduate students in the Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences (CE/GEOS) at the University of Notre Dame. Research performed by these students will concentrate on the critical area of mitigation of natural and human-made environmental hazards. The CE/GEOS unit is uniquely positioned to address environmental hazards from a multidisciplinary viewpoint because its faculty is an integrated mix of individuals with both science and engineering degrees. Among the critical problems that can be creatively attacked within this multidisciplinary framework are technology for the seismic design of landfills and the associated uncertainty modeling and risk assessment, mathematical modeling of toxic chemicals in surface water and groundwater systems, and biological degradation of hazardous materials. The support obtained will expand opportunities for highly qualified students to perform state-of- the-art research that complements and expands activities in the Department aimed at assuring excellence in Ph.D. education. Particular emphasis will be placed on identification, recruitment, and retention of students from groups underrepresented in academia, with two of the five requested scholarships being designated to support such students. To increase this applicant pool, alliances have been made with three institutions (Prairie View A&M University, Texas Southern University, and St. Mary's College) which graduate a significant number of underrepresented students. The program will be structured to achieve the goal of preparing students for leadership positions as teachers and researchers in the diverse aspects of environmental hazard mitigation.