Development of Indio Mountains Research Station, Phase III

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History: The Chihuahuan Desert, which may be the least studied North American desert but with possibly the highest biodiversity of any desert, has few areas with unrestricted access to locations for field research and education. Indio Mountains Research Station (IMRS) is a 40,000 acre research and educational facility operated by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). The station is located in the Chihuahuan Desert of west Texas, adjacent to the U.S.-Mexico border. Examples of current research activities at IMRS include rattlesnake and lizard ecology, arthropod ecology in ephemeral pools, systematics of scorpions, spiders and centipedes and structural geology studies of the Chihuahuan Desert. A new laboratory dedicated to wireless communication, computer technology, and laboratory operations would increase the value of this station. The remote locality of IMRS makes this technology vital for current operations and future research initiatives. Usage of IMRS has increased during the last five years, primarily because of NSF-funded improvements, but a modern center to house essential items for technological and logistic support is needed. Project plan: This award to University of Texas-El Paso is to build a laboratory and technology building with clean space dedicated to computer resources, including wireless access to remote stations on IMRS, to the UTEP campus, and the internet. It will also contain space for laboratory activities associated with field studies and a wet lab. The present electrical and water systems will also be expanded to sustain the additional infrastructure. UTEP, with IMRS as its major field investigation facility, is a foremost educator of underrepresented Hispanic students in science and technology. Enrollment at UTEP is about 21,000 and includes over 72% Hispanic students, with a majority of these students female. UTEP also educates most of the K-12 teachers in the El Paso area (schools are close to 80% Hispanic). Thus, students, teachers and future teachers involved in IMRS activities will have a significant impact on the scientific competence of K-12 students and should increase interest of minority students in science and scientific disciplines. In addition, future partnering with long term observatory network groups will advance the value of IMRS as a field site.