Advancing Research, Education and Public Engagement at The University of Memphis Meeman Biological Station

土地的快速城市化和在城市环境中保持高质量生活的挑战需要领导力和创新研究。孟菲斯大学和迈曼生物站(MBS)位于中南部地区的商业和文化中心，在提供与自然资源管理和可持续发展相关的基本指导方面具有独特的地位。为了实现这一目标，该项目促进了一个五年计划的制定，该计划将使MBS得到更充分和更广泛的利用，旨在开展世界级的生态研究和教育并做出贡献。将少数群体代表纳入研究和教育事业将是该计划的主要目标。规划过程包括访问现有的外地站点，举办以研究、教育和社区参与为重点的讲习班，以及针对当地和区域利益攸关方的在线调查。收集的信息将有助于确定重要的研究方向，扩大本科生和接受培训的教师的教育机会，通过有针对性的环境教育规划增加对K-12学生和社区的接触，并为MBS的高级运营和财务管理制定一条坚实的道路。现在是解决长期规划的理想时机，因为孟菲斯大学任命了新的行政领导，并聘用了对使用MBS感兴趣的新教师，这导致了增加编程的动力。孟菲斯大学爱德华·J·迈曼生物站(MBS)位于密西西比河以东两英里处，位于第三奇卡索断崖(由更新世黄土形成)上，位于密西西比河河谷和西田纳西海岸平原地形区之间的狭窄过渡地带。这一位置为陆地和大河及其相关生境的研究提供了丰富的生物多样性区域。该项目的目标是为MBS制定一个五年战略计划，以推进未来的研究方向、教育规划和社区参与，以确保其在区域和国家的相关性、活力和可持续性。将采用三种方法来洞察情况和收集信息：1)访问选定的具有类似任务、具有区域相关性且位于城市环境中的生物组织实地站地点；2)主办三个侧重于研究方向、教育方案编制和社区推广的讲习班；3)根据实地考察和讲习班获得的信息制作一份在线调查问卷，将广泛分发给各地区利益攸关方，以寻求更多的意见和反馈。根据收集的数据编制的文件将指导MBS的长期方向和规划。作为密西西比河下游唯一的城市野战站，位于密西西比河下游10个县的中南部地区的三州中心，现在是提升MBS能力的好时机。MBS位于人口占多数的130万人口的大都市区内，处于有利地位，可以吸引通常在科学界代表性较低的学生。现有的与当地表现不佳的中学、孟菲斯大学的社区大学支线学校、HBCU Lemoyne-Owen学院和非营利性组织的合作提供了机会，以一种许多人从未见过的方式向多批学生介绍自然环境。这样的合作可以形成更广泛的社区对科学、环境和人类在塑造环境中所起的作用的认识和欣赏的基础。欲了解更多有关MBS的信息，请访问http://www.memphis.edu/meeman/.。

Rapid urbanization of lands and the challenge to maintain a high quality of life for people in urban environments requires leadership and innovative research. Situated within the commercial and cultural hub of the mid-South region, The University of Memphis and Meeman Biological Station (MBS) are in a unique position to provide essential guidance related to natural resources management and sustainability. Toward that goal, this project facilitates development of a 5-year plan that will enable fuller and broader utilization of MBS with the intent to conduct and contribute to world-class ecological research and education. Including minority representation in research and educational pursuits will be a primary objective of the plan. The planning process consists of visits to existing field stations, workshops focused on research, education and community engagement, and an online survey targeted at local and regional stakeholders. Distillation of gathered information will help identify important research directions, expand educational opportunities for undergraduates and teachers in training, increase outreach to K-12 students and the community through targeted environmental education programming and elaborate a solid path toward advanced operational and fiscal management of MBS. This is an ideal time to address long-term planning, as the appointment of new administrative leadership at the University of Memphis and hiring of new faculty interested in using MBS has resulted in a drive to increase programming. The University of Memphis Edward J. Meeman Biological Station (MBS) is two miles east of the Mississippi River on the third Chickasaw Bluff (formed from Pleistocene loess) and lies in the narrow transition zone between the Mississippi River Valley and the West Tennessee Coastal Plain physiographic regions. This location provides a biodiversity rich area for terrestrial as well as big-river and associated habitats research. The goal of this project is development of a 5-year strategic plan for MBS that would advance future research direction, educational programming and community engagement to ensure its regional and national relevance, vitality and sustainability. Three approaches will be used to gain insight and gather information: 1) visits to select Organization of Biological Field Station locations that have similar missions, are regionally relevant and are in urban environments; 2) hosting three workshops focused on research direction, educational programming and community outreach; and 3) creation of an online questionnaire, based on information garnered from field station visits and workshops, that will be widely disseminated to regional stakeholders for additional input and feedback. A document compiled from collected data will guide MBS long-term direction and programming. As the only urban field station on the lower Mississippi River and located in the heart of the tristate, 10 county Mid-South region, this is an opportune time to advance capabilities at MBS. Situated within a majority minority 1.3-million person metropolitan area, MBS is well positioned to engage students that are typically underrepresented in science. Existing collaborations with local underperforming middle schools, a community college feeder school for the University of Memphis, the HBCU Lemoyne-Owen College and non-profit organizations present opportunities to introduce multiple cohorts of students to the natural environment in a way that many have never encountered. Such collaborations could form the basis for broader community awareness and appreciation of science, the environment and the role humans play in shaping it. For more information about MBS, visit http://www.memphis.edu/meeman/.