REU Site: An Integrated Assessment of Physical, Ecological, and Socio-economic Aspects of a Watershed System

这个为期十周的REU站点将为12名学生提供一个机会，每年夏天使用莫米流域作为测试案例进行具有全球意义的研究。该REU将教育学生关于水文过程，水质，人口统计学和经济学，土地利用实践，河岸生态系统质量，沉积物污染以及河流生态系统退化的法律和政策影响的相互联系的本质。学生将与导师合作，从环境、生物、社会和政策的角度开展研究项目，重点关注莫米河和伊利湖的健康状况。研究项目将集中在莫米流域和伊利湖。在五大湖中，伊利湖是独一无二的，因为它的水质问题主要与农业污染和城市化等特定的人类现象有关。这个REU站点的跨学科方法允许对围绕Maumee流域环境退化的环境和社会问题进行彻底检查；还将探讨可能的补救措施以及相关的政策和法律问题。学生将获得对环境问题的广泛理解，并通过收集环境样本（土壤、水和生物）、遥感项目的地面真值观测以及在一些项目中使用地理信息系统（GIS）来学习实地观测技术。该奖项有助于基金会继续努力，通过积极的本科研究经历吸引有才华的学生进入科学事业。

This ten-week REU Site will provide an opportunity for 12 students each summer to conduct research of global significance using the Maumee watershed as a test case. This REU will educate students regarding the interconnected nature of hydrological processes, water quality, demographics and economics, land use practices, riparian ecosystem quality, sediment contamination, and the legal and policy implications of river ecosystem degradation. Students will work with a mentor as they conduct research projects focused on the Maumee River and Lake Erie health from environmental, biological, social, and policy perspectives. The research projects will focus on the Maumee watershed and Lake Erie. Among the Great Lakes, Lake Erie is unique in that its water quality problems are primarily related to the specific human phenomena of agricultural pollution and urbanization. The interdisciplinary approach of this REU Site allows for a thorough examination of the environmental and social issues surrounding the environmental degradation of the Maumee watershed; possible remediation and related policy and legal issues will also be explored. Students will gain a broad understanding of environmental issues and also learn techniques for field observations through collection of environmental samples (soil, water, and biological), ground truth observations for remote sensing projects, and the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) for some projects.This award contributes to the Foundation's continuing efforts to attract talented students into careers in science through active undergraduate research experiences.