Phase V: Building Research Infrastructure to Address Grand Challenge Problems in Ecological Forecasting and Biomaterials Design

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Kansas NSF EPSCoR proposes a research infrastructure improvement (RII) project to address one of the Grand Challenges of the biosciences: the evaluation, modeling and forecasting of the biological and ecological consequences of the world's accelerating global changes. This is an area of critical and strategic importance to Kansas, the region and the nation. Increasing our knowledge and ability to predict global changes in human-natural systems are critical to sustaining grassland ecosystem services, supplying clean water, recycling essential nutrients, sequestering carbon, preserving diversity and guarding against invasive species and emerging diseases. The project will establish a virtual ecological forecasting center known as the Collaboratory for Forecasting Ecological Change in the Central Plains which includes universities, departments, researchers, educators and students. The Collaboratory will bring together biodiversity scientists, computer software engineers, evolutionary biologists, ecologists, geographers, hydrologists, computer scientists and social scientists to study the human dimensions of environmental change in four areas of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems:1) climate change, land-use and socio-economic feedbacks; 2) changes in biodiversity from genes through landscapes, including invasive species; 3) changes in ecosystem function in biogeochemistry and productivity; and 4) hydrological patterns and processes. Participating institutions include: the University of Kansas (KU), Kansas State University (KSU), Fort Hays State University (FHSU), and Haskell Indian Nations University (HINU). The Kansas RII project includes targeted efforts to build a critical mass of researchers and grow the next generation of scientists and scientific leaders in the state. Mentoring and professional development of junior faculty will be highlighted. High school, undergraduate and graduate students will be actively engaged in the research activities supported by the award. High school teachers will also participate and receive training to enhance their teaching of science. Several programs will focus on recruitment of women, Native Americans and members of other underrepresented groups.