Upgrade of Computing Equipment in the Digital Mapping Laboratory, Idaho State University

该奖项为爱达荷州州立大学数字测绘实验室升级数字测绘设施提供资金。工作站，服务器和相关的千兆网络连接支持这项赠款提供现代化的工作站，将更好地服务于ISU现有和未来的研究项目。该项目支持的数字制图设施正在为四个跨学科近地表研究主题作出贡献：对当代和古代气候或构造变化的地貌反应进行实地表征和建模;通过高光谱和光探测和测距技术记录的短期地貌、土壤和植被变化;地理空间分布，基于地理信息系统的水文和水质建模在流域规模的山区环境，和模拟地下水流的基础上统计分析和三维建模的层间火山和沉积矿床。 这些研究小组中的每一个都将创新的数据集和技术与应用和理论问题相结合，以促进我们对水资源，气候变化和遥感能力的理解。 计算机设施的升级支持了爱达荷州州立大学几位早期职业研究人员的研究工作，并促进了地球科学系研究生和本科生研究助理核心小组的教学和培训。增加获取遥感和地理信息系统数据和应用补充了水文学，结构地质学，地层学，地貌学和岩石学的学生指导的研究项目。这些项目的成果正在纳入本科生和研究生课程。在这些计算机的使用寿命期间，预计约有375名地球科学专业的学生和研究生将受益于这些设施。由于将使用该实验室的学生中约有40%是代表性不足的群体的成员，该奖项有助于扩大地球科学的参与。 该奖项支持的研究项目预计将对爱达荷州的土地利用、水资源、城市扩张和经济发展产生社会影响。

This award is providing funds to upgrade digital mapping facilities for the Idaho State University Digital Mapping Laboratory. The workstations, servers, and associated gigabit network connections supported by this grant are providing modern work stations that will better service existing and future research projects at ISU. The digital mapping facilities supported by the project are contributing to four interdisciplinary near-surface research themes: field characterization and modeling of landscape response to contemporary and ancient changes in climate or tectonics; short-term landscape, soil, and vegetation change as documented by hyperspectral and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) techniques; geospatially distributed, GIS-based hydrologic and water quality modeling at the watershed scale in mountain environments, and simulation of ground-water flow based on statistical analysis and 3-D modeling of inter-bedded volcanic and sedimentary deposits. Each of these research groups pair innovative datasets and techniques against applied and theoretical questions that advance our understanding of water resources, climate change and remote sensing capabilities. The computer facility upgrade is supporting the research efforts of several early career researchers at Idaho State University, as well as promoting teaching and training of a core group of graduate and undergraduate research assistants in the Department of Geosciences. Increased access to remote sensing and GIS data and applications complements the student-directed research projects in hydrology, structural geology, stratigraphy, geomorphology, and petrology. Results of these projects are being incorporated into the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. Over the lifespan of these computers, about 375 geoscience majors and graduate students are expected to benefit from these facilities. Because approximately 40% of the students who will use the laboratory are members of an underrepresented group, the award is helping to broaden participation in the geosciences. The research projects supported by this award are expected to have a societal impact specifically on decisions regarding Idaho's land use, water resources, and urban expansion and economic development.