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

橡树湖野外站是南达科他州布鲁金斯县东北部的一个570英亩的教学和研究设施，由南达科他州州立大学经营。 在过去的七年里，当地和访问教师和学生对橡树湖野外站研究活动的利用率增加了400%以上。 这一增长是为了更好地宣传外地站设施和更多的地方资助教师和学生的研究。 该空间站最近接受了由美国国家科学基金会资助的设施审查。 访问审查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研究实验室，教室和计算机室设施在橡树湖外地站，南达科他州。 国家科学基金会提供的资金将得到当地资金的补充，用于改造和扩建橡树湖野外站现有的教室和实验室大楼。 该建筑将提供637平方米。英尺实验室，918平方米英尺教室和294平方米。英尺办公室/电脑室设施。 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%。 总的来说，建筑面积将从1935平方英尺增加到2679平方英尺。 建筑物翻修将包括现有野外实验室和教室的全封闭，安装炉子以允许四季使用，新的实验室台面，储藏柜，化学淋浴和洗眼站，电信线路，水槽，数字投影住宿，教室可容纳32名学生，扩大野外图书馆书架，存储区和扩大的办公室/计算机室。橡树湖野外站提供了一个独特的网站，研究本地高草草原和北方平原内的坑洞环境。 位于几个地区的大学，学院和公立学校两个小时内，这个改建的设施将提供实地课程，实地考察，学生实地项目，研究生和教师研究，研讨会，专业会议和务虚会的位置。 野外站工作人员保守估计，由于这次改造工作，野外站的教学和研究利用率将增加两倍。 现在全年都可以进行教学和研究工作。 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送外地站方案和数据。 这些改进将大大提高学生的学习机会和研究生产力在一个适度的预算。

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.