Science in the Sierra Madre: developing infrastructure for multidisciplinary research at the CICHAZ field station

FSML改进赠款提案解决了位于马德雷东方山脉(http://www.cichaz.org/).)的阿瓜扎卡斯(CICHAZ)外勤站的基础设施和共享仪器需求CICHAZ位于墨西哥中部独特的Huasteca山脉地区，该地区具有高度的生物和文化多样性，但缺乏学术和研究机构。这个实地考察站与德克萨斯农工大学有联系，每年接待越来越多的科学家，他们需要广泛的科学资源。自2005年成立以来，CICHAZ接待了来自国际30多个机构的150多名自然和社会科学研究人员，培养了9名博士和2名硕士论文，并吸引了11个国家科学基金资助的项目。CICHAZ为本科生、当地居民和美国公众提供研究和文化体验。除了可供最多11名研究人员长期住宿外，空间站还建立了包括一个室内渔室、24个水生中隔虫阵列和一个小型分子生物学实验室在内的设施。该奖项将为收集和分析基因组数据、植物和动物的受控饲养以及该地区的生态和进化研究提供基础设施和设备。有了这笔赠款，现有的实验室将被改造成一个标准的分子湿实验室，配备一台Minion基因组测序仪。这将使研究人员能够在实地停留过程中就地收集和分析核酸数据。将建立两个新的温室设施，以容纳用于受控研究的动植物，并进行可持续改进，以满足预期的能源需求增加。最后，空间站将获得一个流动实验室，灵活配备用于溪流采样、水质分析和沉积岩心提取的仪器。这些拟议的改进对外联工作产生了根本影响，并将确保更广泛的影响举措的成功，包括为美国和墨西哥本科生以及当地K-12学生提供研究经验，重点是将实地和环境方法与最先进的测量和分析技术相结合。移动实验室将使访问研究人员能够与工作人员一起在当地社区设计外联计划，从而彻底改变与学校和偏远土著社区的接触。

This FSML improvement grant proposal addresses the infrastructure and shared instrumentation needs of the Centro de Investigaciones Cientificas de las Huastecas "Aguazarca" (CICHAZ) field station located in the Sierra Madre Oriental (http://www.cichaz.org/). CICHAZ is located in the unique Sierra y Huasteca region of central Mexico, an area high in biological and cultural diversity but devoid of academic and research institutions. This field station is associated with Texas A&M University and hosts an increasing number of scientists annually who need a broad array of scientific resources. Since its founding in 2005, CICHAZ has hosted over 150 researchers in the natural and social sciences from over 30 institutions internationally, fostered 9 Ph.D. and two Master's theses, and attracted 11 NSF-funded projects. CICHAZ has provided research and cultural experiences for undergraduates, local residents, and members of the U.S. public. In addition to long-term lodging for up to 11 researchers, the station has built up facilities including an indoor fishroom, an array of 24 aquatic mesocosms, and a small laboratory for molecular biology. This award will provide the infrastructure and equipment for collecting and analyzing genomic data; controlled husbandry of plants and animals; and ecological and evolutionary studies in the region. With this grant, an existing laboratory will be converted into a standard molecular wet lab, featuring a MinIon genome sequencer. This will enable researchers to collect and analyze nucleic acid data in situ within the course of a field stay. Two new greenhouse facilities will be erected to house animals and plants for controlled studies, as well as sustainable improvements to address the anticipated increase in energy needs. Finally, the station will acquire a mobile laboratory flexibly equipped with instruments for stream sampling, water quality analysis, and sedimentary core extraction. These proposed improvements have fundamental impacts on outreach efforts, and will ensure success of broader impacts initiatives including research experiences for US and Mexican undergraduates, and for local K-12 students, focused on integrating field and environmental approaches with state-of-the-art techniques for measurement and analysis. The mobile laboratory will revolutionize engagement with schools and with remote indigenous communities, by enabling visiting researchers to work with staff in designing outreach programs in local communities.