REU Site: Sustainable Groundwater Resources

可持续地下水资源REU网站的重点是地下水可持续科学。地下水是全球水文循环的基本组成部分，也是一种重要的自然资源。它维持着许多河流、湖泊、湿地和其他依赖地下水的生态系统，是人类消费淡水的重要来源。地下水也是灌溉农业生态系统、粮食生产、生态系统服务、能源开采和生产以及其他工业的基础。由于这一需求，地下水的过度开采，特别是在干旱和半干旱地区许多最大和最重要的粮食生产含水层系统中，导致水位迅速下降和储存量的大量损失，被称为全球地下水危机。气候多变性和气候变化以及与之相关的水文循环变化加剧了人们对全球地下水危机及其社会影响的关切。地下水资源的可持续性，特别是在加州，是一个公认的和紧迫的问题，从地方到全球范围内。我们的学生和非常优秀的研究导师将解决全球地下水危机的知识差距和实际解决方案，特别强调加州的可持续地下水管理法案（SGMA）。我们还将使用形成性和总结性评估计划，以严格评估和不断提高我们的REU网站的质量和影响。REU网站将产生以下积极影响：（1）帮助创建一个参与的美国劳动力;（2）有助于美国劳动力的多样化;（3）帮助学生为职业生涯做好准备，以应对可持续淡水资源的前所未有的挑战，特别是与SGMA相关的挑战;（4）促进所有参与者提高研究生产力和新的研究思路;（5）促进研究人员的研究。REU网站将为本科生，特别是女性和代表性不足的少数民族（URM），在他们科学生涯的早期阶段提供地下水可持续性科学方面的真正研究经验和培训。有五个主要目标。(1)为初级和高级本科生提供从事独立研究并做出原创智力贡献的机会。(2)提供以社区为基础的研究经验和专业发展机会，创造一个从事水文科学和工程的劳动力。(3)扩大妇女和城市资源管理学生在STEM中的参与度并提高其保留率。(4)整合关于地下水可持续性科学的前沿研究和培训，特别是与加州的可持续地下水管理法案（SGMA）有关的研究和培训。(5)为跨学科研究导师和整个CSU系统的本科生之间的富有成效的合作提供一个框架。 REU网站有五个组成部分。(1)为期两周的探究式学习方向，让学生接触科学过程和基本概念和技能。(2)为期七周的独立研究经验，学生将在RM的指导和资源下对他们的项目承担主要责任。(3)每周一次的专业发展研讨会，学生与专业人士接触，了解研究生院和职业。(4)社会和专业活动，以促进强大的队列经验。(5)一个社区范围的研究研讨会，REU学生将向加州地下水社区，朋友和家人展示他们的研究成果。我们将每年从加州州立大学系统的23个校区的URM学生人才库和美国各地招募10名学生，在为期三年的REU网站上培训了总共30名REU研究员。我们的目标是女性和URM学生，他们已经完成了至少一年的大学水文学或相关课程，并有兴趣攻读研究生学位。该奖项反映了NSF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 focus of the Sustainable Groundwater Resources REU Site is groundwater sustainability science. Groundwater is a fundamental component of the global hydrologic cycle and a vital natural resource. It sustains many rivers, lakes, wetlands, and other groundwater dependent ecosystems, and is a significant source of freshwater for human consumption. Groundwater is also the foundation for irrigated agroecosystems, food production, ecosystem services, energy-extraction and production, and other industries. As a result of this demand, excessive groundwater (over)extraction, particularly in many of the largest and most important food producing aquifer systems in arid and semi-arid regions, has resulted in rapidly declining water levels and substantial loss of storage, referred to as the global groundwater crisis. Climate variability and change and the associated modifications to the hydrologic cycle are exacerbating concerns over the global groundwater crisis and societal implications. The sustainability of groundwater resources, particularly in California, is a well-recognized and urgent concern from local to global scales. Our students and exceptionally well-qualified Research Mentors will address knowledge gaps and practical solutions to the global groundwater crisis, with particular emphasis on California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). We will also use a formative and summative evaluation plan to rigorously assess and continually improve the quality and impact of our REU Site. The REU Site will have the following positive impacts: (1) help create an engaged U.S. workforce; (2) contribute to the diversification of the U.S. workforce; (3) help prepare students for careers to meet the unprecedented challenges of sustainable freshwater resources, particularly related to SGMA; (4) promote increased research productivity and new research ideas for all participants; and (5) help build academic capacity and practical solutions for rural and urban communities across California.The REU Site will provide genuine research experience and training in groundwater sustainability science for undergraduate students, particularly women and underrepresented minorities (URM), at an early stage in their scientific careers. There are five primary objectives. (1) To provide junior- and senior-level undergraduates the opportunity to engage in independent research and make original intellectual contributions. (2) To provide community based research experience and professional development opportunities that create an engaged workforce in hydrologic sciences and engineering. (3) To expand the participation and increase the retention of women and URM students in STEM. (4) To integrate cutting edge research and training about groundwater sustainability science, particularly related to California's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). (5) To provide a framework for productive collaboration between interdisciplinary Research Mentors and undergraduates across the CSU system. The REU Site has five components. (1) A two-week, inquiry-based learning orientation that exposes students to the scientific process and fundamental concepts and skills. (2) A seven-week independent research experience where students will take primary responsibility for their project, while under their RM's guidance and resources. (3) A weekly professional development seminar where students engage with professionals to learn about graduate school and careers. (4) Social and professional activities to foster a strong cohort experience. (5) A community-wide research symposium where REU students will present their research results to the California groundwater community, friends, and family. We will recruit 10 students per year from the diverse URM student talent pool in the 23-campus California State University system and from across the U.S., training a total of 30 REU fellows over the three-year REU Site. We will target women and URM students who have completed at least one year of college-level hydrology or related courses, and interest in pursuing a graduate degree(s).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.