A new research greenhouse at Blandy Experimental Farm

布兰迪实验农场的新研究温室

• 批准号: 1522508
• 负责人: David Carr
• 金额: $ 33.5万
• 依托单位: University of Virginia Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-09-01 至 2017-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1522508&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: new; research; greenhouse; Blandy; Experimental

Funds will support the construction of a new research greenhouse at Blandy Experimental Farm, an environmental sciences field station in the northern Shenandoah Valley operated by the University of Virginia (http://blandy.virginia.edu/). Blandy supports a broad range of research in the environmental sciences, but research on plant genetics and plant ecology are particular strengths. The Blandy faculty anticipates that strength in these areas is sustainable and that student training in this area will continue to grow. Blandy's existing greenhouse is over 70 years old and has become structurally compromised. Because it was originally built within the Orland E. White Arboretum, it is now surrounded by trees that greatly reduce sunlight into the greenhouse. Its inefficient design does not allow much flexibility for expansion. This proposal represents the first phase of the replacement. The proposed greenhouse would include two 510 square-foot bays that would provide a total of 612 square feet of bench space. The floors of the proposed building would be concrete to help minimize pest and disease problems. The new greenhouse would have improved temperature and environmental control systems, including a propane heating system, a simple ventilation and exhaust system, and a retractable shade system. The new greenhouse will provide substantially better support for Blandy researchers. Undergraduate and graduate training is central to Blandy's mission, and a research greenhouse is an essential resource for both of these programs. Past graduate students at Blandy have continued on to productive careers in science that range from K-12 science education to faculty positions at universities. The undergraduate research program at Blandy has been highly successful in training students, most of whom have gone on to highly regarded graduate programs in ecology. These students include many talented young men and women from underrepresented groups who have now gone on to higher degrees in science. Blandy Experimental Farm is also home to the State Arboretum of Virginia and has thriving K-12 and other public programs, all with an environmental science focus. These programs build from the expertise and discoveries created in Blandy's research program. For example, all Blandy undergraduate researchers spend a morning presenting some aspect of their research to children attending a summer nature camp at Blandy. The relationships that have developed in the K-12 program have made it relatively easy to identify and recruit local teachers into NSF-supported programs for teacher training, and most of these teachers have required greenhouse space for their projects. Blandy has also frequently served as a source for research experience for high school students, and almost all of these students have worked on projects in the greenhouse.

资金将支持在布兰迪实验农场建造一个新的研究温室，布兰迪实验农场是弗吉尼亚大学 (http://blandy.virginia.edu/) 运营的位于谢南多厄山谷北部的环境科学野外站。 布兰迪支持环境科学研究领域的广泛研究，但植物遗传学和植物生态学的研究尤其具有优势。 布兰迪学院的教师预计这些领域的优势是可持续的，并且该领域的学生培训将继续增长。 Blandy 现有的温室已有 70 多年的历史，结构已受到损害。 由于它最初建在奥兰·怀特植物园内，现在周围都是树木，大大减少了进入温室的阳光。 其低效的设计不允许有太大的扩展灵活性。 该提案代表了更换的第一阶段。 拟议的温室将包括两个 510 平方英尺的隔间，总共提供 612 平方英尺的长凳空间。 拟议建筑的地板将采用混凝土，以帮助减少病虫害问题。 新温室将改进温度和环境控制系统，包括丙烷加热系统、简单的通风和排气系统以及可伸缩遮阳系统。 新温室将为布兰迪研究人员提供更好的支持。本科生和研究生培训是布兰迪使命的核心，而研究温室是这两个项目的重要资源。 布兰迪过去的研究生继续在科学领域从事富有成效的职业，从 K-12 科学教育到大学教职。 布兰迪的本科研究项目在培养学生方面非常成功，其中大多数人继续攻读备受推崇的生态学研究生课程。 这些学生包括许多来自代表性不足群体的才华横溢的年轻男女，他们现在已经获得了更高的科学学位。 布兰迪实验农场也是弗吉尼亚州立植物园的所在地，拥有蓬勃发展的 K-12 和其他公共项目，所有项目都以环境科学为重点。 这些项目建立在布兰迪研究项目的专业知识和发现的基础上。 例如，所有布兰迪本科生研究人员都会花一个上午的时间向参加布兰迪夏令营的孩子们展示他们研究的某些方面。 K-12 项目中建立的关系使得识别和招募当地教师加入 NSF 支持的教师培训项目变得相对容易，而且这些教师中的大多数都需要温室空间来开展他们的项目。 布兰迪还经常为高中生提供研究经验，几乎所有这些学生都曾在温室中从事过项目。