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

这项提案寻求在五年内拨款537,500美元，以支持圣母大学土木工程与地质科学系(CE/GEOS)的博士研究生。这些学生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单位在从多学科的角度处理环境危害方面具有独特的地位，因为它的教职员工是拥有科学和工程学位的个人的综合混合体。在这一多学科框架内可以创造性地解决的关键问题包括垃圾填埋场的抗震设计技术以及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物质的数学建模以及危险材料的生物降解。获得的支持将扩大高素质学生进行最先进研究的机会，以补充和扩大系内旨在确保博士教育卓越的活动。将特别重视从学术界代表性不足的群体中识别、招收和留住学生，五个申请的奖学金中有两个被指定为支持这类学生。为了扩大这一申请者群体，已与三所院校(草原景观农工大学、德克萨斯南方大学和圣玛丽学院)结成联盟，这三所院校毕业的学生人数较少。该计划的结构将达到这样的目标，即为学生在减轻环境危害的不同方面担任教师和研究人员的领导职位做好准备。

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.