REU Site: Sustainable Groundwater Resources

可持续地下水资源REU站点的重点是地下水可持续性科学。地下水是全球水文循环的基本组成部分，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，是人类消费的重要淡水来源。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行业的基础。由于这种需求，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的大量损失，被称为全球地下水危机。气候变率和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注。从地方到全球，地下水资源的可持续性，特别是在加州，都是一个公认的紧迫问题。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（SGMA）。我们还将使用形成性和总结性评估计划来严格评估和不断改进我们REU网站的质量和影响。REU网站将产生以下积极影响：(1)帮助创造敬业的美国劳动力；(2)促进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，特别是与SGMA相关的前所未有的挑战；(4)促进所有参与者提高研究生产力和新的研究思路；(5)为加州农村和城市社区建立学术能力和切实可行的解决方案。REU站点将为处于科学生涯早期阶段的本科生，特别是妇女和代表性不足的少数民族（URM）提供真正的地下水可持续性科学研究经验和培训。有五个主要目标。(1)为本科生提供自主研究和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，创造一支从事水文科学和工程的劳动力队伍。(3)扩大女性和市区大学学生对STEM的参与和保留。(4)整合地下水可持续性科学的前沿研究和培训，特别是与加州可持续地下水管理法（SGMA）相关的研究和培训。(5)为科罗拉多州立大学系统内跨学科研究导师和本科生之间的富有成效的合作提供框架。REU站点有五个组成部分。(1)为期两周的探究式学习，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历，学生将在RM的指导和资源下主要负责自己的项目。(3)每周一次的专业发展研讨会，让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，培养强大的群体体验。(5)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。我们每年将从加州州立大学系统23个校区的不同学生人才库中招募10名学生，并从美国各地招募10名学生，在为期三年的REU网站上总共培训30名REU研究员。我们的目标是完成至少一年大学水平的水文学或相关课程，并有兴趣攻读研究生学位的女性和URM学生。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 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.