RCN UBE: MIRC and MB Research Coordination - Food, Energy, Water, Ecosystem Resources (FEWER)

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The Mississippi River and the Mekong River are among the largest river systems in the world. Both provide food, energy, water, and ecosystem resources to millions of people. The history of anthropogenic perturbations (e.g., dam building) and challenges due to climate change continue to impact these river systems and the ecosystems that they support. The purpose of the Food, Energy, Water, and Ecosystem Resources (FEWER) Research Coordination Network (RCN) project is to facilitate the networking of scientists within the Minority Institute Research Collaborative (MIRC) - which consists of faculty-scientists from more than 20 U.S. institutions and between MIRC-affiliated scientists and faculty from institutions in Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia - to address scientific problems of mutual interest. The FEWER RCN will focus on four areas in biology: (1) Aquatic Biology and Ecosystem Science; (2) Traditional-Use Plants and Natural Products; (3) Biofuel Feedstocks and Enzyme Systems; and (4) Impact of Climate Change on Biodiversity in the Mekong Basin. Specific research projects will be developed under one of these themes and research groups consisting of faculty and students from more than one institution within the network will submit position papers to the FEWER RCN steering committee so that the initiation of projects may be scheduled during the term of the grant. Faculty are expected to engage graduate students and undergraduates in this research using a variety of mechanisms, including institutional funding for undergraduates, REU funding that is available across the network, and other funding sources. A few student internship awards will be available directly through the RCN. The FEWER RCN will enhance emerging areas in food, energy, water and ecosystem resources and facilitate new research collaborations between scientists within MIRC and between MIRC and the international partners. From an academic development perspective, this project aims to increase the number of minority and minority-serving faculty engaged in international research. It will also address scientific problems of importance to stakeholders within the Mississippi River system and the Lower Mekong Basin. This project is aligned with the goals of the U.S. Department of State's "Lower Mekong Initiative" and officials from governments within foreign partner countries as well as the U.S. State Department are aware of and will be informed on a periodic basis of results from this NSF-funded RCN effort. This project is being jointly funded by the Directorate for Biological Sciences and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources, Division of Undergraduate Education as part of their efforts to address the challenges posed in Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (http://visionandchange/finalreport/).