REU Site: Dynamic Urban Environmental Systems and Sustainability in Newark, NJ

动态城市环境系统和可持续性（DUESS） REU站点位于新泽西州纽瓦克，吸引学生参与与城市环境和可持续性相关的研究。参与者来自地球科学领域代表性不足的群体，包括社区大学生，他们要么就读于城市机构，要么居住在城市地区。对城市系统的关注使学生能够进行与他们的日常生活和社区相关的研究，并展示科学研究如何造福社会。学生们由罗格斯大学纽瓦克分校的研究活跃教师指导，接受专业发展培训，参加丰富活动，并与纽瓦克社区组织和当地政府接触。学生们被引导从社区大学和四年制课程到研究职业的道路。为未被充分代表的学生创造职业道路至关重要，因为少数族裔占美国人口的33%，但在就业的科学家和工程师中只有14%。这代表了STEM职业尚未开发的人力资源潜力。最大限度地发挥人力资源的潜力对城市地区尤其重要，例如纽瓦克，那里需要训练有素的专业人员来推动当地的环境和可持续性努力。DUESS REU旨在加强学生对地球与环境科学的兴趣，并让他们了解有组织的科学研究的价值。它提供了从大学成功到研究生院和潜在的研究生涯的关键联系。其结果是改善了地球科学的参与和多样性，并增加了受过适当训练的科学家的数量，以满足全国日益增长的需求。DUESS REU参加者将调查集中的人类活动对环境（土壤、水、空气、生物群）和城市系统可持续性的影响。学生在近地表地球物理学、城市地球化学和生物地球化学、城市生态学、可持续发展和生物多样性等专业领域开展研究项目。参与者主要是来自两年制和四年制城市院校的少数族裔学生。学生与教师导师进行DUESS主题研究；参与专业发展，将研究经验与教育途径相结合；并参与支持活动，促进学生与学生，学生与教师和学生与社区的互动。DUESS REU有六个目标。1)通过利用罗格斯大学纽瓦克分校其他NSF和非NSF资助的项目，为3组12名学术才华横溢的学生提供研究经验和支持，这些学生中至少有60%是URM学生，50%是社区学院学生。2)为本科生制定一个综合研究计划，使他们接触到最前沿的地球科学技术。3)培养从学习研究技术到帮助制定研究计划的研究经验。4)建立一种模式，使城市城市大学的学生参与与他们的生活和兴趣相关的高级研究。5)建立一条清晰的道路，鼓励学生从事涉及研究的科学事业。6)改变项目文化，更好地将本科综合研究纳入课程。该项目将通过在城市环境中进行群体地点研究的模式，增加从事研究和科学事业的代表性不足的学生的数量，这种模式可以在全国城市地区复制。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The Dynamic Urban Environmental Systems and Sustainability (DUESS) REU site in Newark, New Jersey engages students in research related to the environment and sustainability in urban settings. Participants are from groups underrepresented in the Geosciences, include community college students, and either attend urban institutions or live in urban areas. The focus on urban systems allows students to conduct research relevant to their daily lives and communities, and demonstrates how scientific research can benefit society. Students are mentored by research active faculty at Rutgers University-Newark, receive professional development training, participate in enrichment activities, and interface with Newark community organizations and local government. Students are guided to pathways from community college and 4-year programs to careers in research. Creating career pathways for underrepresented students is essential, as racial minorities comprise 33% of the U.S. population, but only 14% of employed scientists and engineers. This represents an untapped human resource potential for STEM careers. Maximizing human resource potential is especially critical for urban areas, such as Newark, where there is a need for trained professionals to advance local environmental and sustainability efforts. The DUESS REU is designed to reinforce the interest of the students in Earth and Environmental Sciences, and have them appreciate the value of organized scientific research. It provides a critical link from success in college to graduate school and a potential research career. The result is improved participation and diversity in the Geosciences, and an increase in the number of appropriately trained scientists to meet the growing need nationwide.DUESS REU participants will investigate the impact of concentrated human activity on the environment (soils, water, air, biota) and sustainability in urban systems. Students develop research projects within areas of faculty research expertise in Near Surface Geophysics, Urban Geochemistry & Biogeochemistry, and Urban Ecology, Sustainability & Biodiversity. The participants are primarily underrepresented minority (URM) students from 2-year and 4-year urban institutions. Students conduct DUESS themed research with faculty mentors; participate in professional development to integrate the research experience with the educational pathway; and engage in supporting activities that promote student-student, student-faculty and student-community interactions. The DUESS REU has six goals. 1) Recruit and provide research experiences and support for 3 cohorts of 12 academically talented students who are at least 60% URM and 50% Community College students by leveraging other NSF and non-NSF-funded programs at Rutgers University-Newark. 2) Develop an integrated research program for undergraduates that exposes them to cutting edge geoscience techniques. 3) Develop a research experience that builds from learning research techniques to helping formulate research plans. 4) Develop a model to engage urban URM students in advanced research by making it pertinent to their lives and interests. 5) Establish a clear pathway to encourage students to pursue careers in science that involve research. 6) Change the culture of the program to better incorporate integrated undergraduate research into the curriculum. This project will increase the number of underrepresented students pursuing careers in research and science, through a model for group place-based research in an urban environment that may be replicated in urban areas nationwide.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.