Facility Improvements to Enhance Northern Prairie Research and Instructional Efforts at Oak Lake Field Station

橡树湖野外站占地570英亩，由南达科他州州立大学运营，位于南达科他州布鲁金斯县东北部。在过去的七年里，当地和访问教职员工和学生利用橡树湖野外站进行研究活动的比例增加了400%以上。这一增长是由于更好地宣传实地考察站设施以及为教职员工和学生的研究提供更多的地方资金。空间站最近经历了一次由国家科学基金会资助的设施审查。来访的评审员建议扩大和改善现有的实验室和教室设施，以满足未来的需要。这项工作的目标是改善南达科他州橡树湖野战站的研究实验室、教室和计算机室设施。国家科学基金会提供的资金将由当地来源的配套资金补充，用于改造和扩大橡树湖野战站现有的教室和实验室建筑。这个建筑将提供637平方英尺的面积。英国《金融时报》实验室，918平方米英国《金融时报》教室和294平方英尺英国《金融时报》办公室/机房设施。与现有设施相比，实验室空间将增加445%，教室空间将增加266%，办公室/计算机空间将增加188%。总体而言，建筑面积将从1935平方英尺增加到2679平方英尺。建筑翻新将包括现有野外实验室和教室的总围栏、可供四季使用的炉子安装、新的实验室台面、储藏柜、化学淋浴和洗眼台、电信布线、水槽、数字投影设备、可容纳32名学生的教室、扩大的野外图书馆书架、存储区域和扩大的办公室/电脑室。橡树湖野外站为研究北部平原内的原生高草草原和坑洞环境提供了一个独特的地点。这个改建后的设施距离几所地区性大学、学院和公立学校只有两个小时的路程，将为实地课程、实地考察、学生实地考察、研究生和教职员工研究、研讨会、专业会议和务虚会提供场所。外勤站工作人员保守地估计，由于这次改建工作，外勤站的教学和研究利用率将增加三倍。现在，教学和研究工作将可能贯穿全年。扩大的教室和实验室设施将允许更多的学生和研究人员同时使用。电信能力将得到改善，从而能够更有效地向其他学术机构和组织传达野外站方案和数据。这些改进将在有限的预算内极大地改善学生的学习机会和研究效率。

AbstractOak Lake Field Station is a 570 acre teaching and research facility operated by South Dakota State University in northeastern Brookings County, South Dakota. Utilization of Oak Lake Field Station for research activity by local and visiting faculty and students has increased over 400% over the past seven years. This increase has occurred in response to better advertisement of field station facilities and greater local funding for faculty and student research. The station recently underwent a facility review, funded by the National Science Foundation. Visiting reviewers recommended expansion and improvement of existing laboratory and classroom facilities to meet future needs. The objective of this effort is to improve research laboratory, classroom and computer room facilities at Oak Lake Field Station, South Dakota. Funds provided by the National Science Foundation will be supplemented with matching dollars by local sources to remodel and expand the existing classroom and laboratory building of Oak Lake Field Station. This construction will provide a 637 sq. ft. laboratory, 918 sq. ft. classroom and 294 sq. ft. office/computer room facility. Lab space will increase 445%, classroom space will increase 266% and office/computer space will increase 188% relative to existing facilities. Overall, building square footage will increase from 1935 ft2 to 2679 ft2. Building renovations will include total enclosure of the existing field laboratory and classroom, furnace installation to allow four-season use, new lab countertops, storage cabinets, chemical shower and eyewash station, telecommunications wiring, sinks, accommodations for digital projection, classroom to seat 32 students, expanded field library shelving, storage area and expanded office/computer room.Oak Lake Field Station provides a unique site to study native tallgrass prairie and pothole environments within the northern plains. Located within two hours of several regional universities, colleges and public schools, this remodeled facility will provide a location for field courses, field trips, student field projects, graduate and faculty research, symposia, professional meetings and retreats. Field Station staff conservatively estimate a tripling of field station instruction and research utilization as a result of this remodeling effort. Instruction and research efforts will now be possible throughout the year. Expanded classroom and laboratory facilities will allow simultaneous use by larger groups of students and researchers. Telecommunications capabilities will be improved, allowing more efficient communication of field station programs and data to other academic institutions and organizations. These enhancements will greatly improve student learning opportunities and research productivity within a modest budget.