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

这个为期十周的REU网站将为每年夏天的12名学生提供机会，以Maumee分水岭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的相互关联的性质、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。学生将在导师的指导下开展研究项目，从环境、生物、社会和政策角度关注毛米河和伊利湖的健康。研究项目将集中在茂密分水岭和伊利湖。在五大湖中，伊利湖的独特之处在于，其水质问题主要与农业污染和城市化等特定人类现象有关。该REU场地的跨学科方法允许彻底审查围绕Maumee分水岭环境退化的环境和社会问题；还将探讨可能的补救措施以及相关的政策和法律问题。学生将通过收集环境样本(土壤、水和生物)、遥感项目的地面实况观测以及一些项目的地理信息系统(GIS)的使用，获得对环境问题的广泛理解，并学习现场观测技术。该奖项有助于基金会通过积极的本科生研究经验，继续努力吸引有才华的学生进入科学职业。

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.