REU Site: Investigation of Subterranean Features in the Appalachian Region

这个为期三年的REU网站在马歇尔大学（MU）将招募学生就读于非STEM专业在位于阿巴拉契亚南部地区的社区学院参加工程研究相关的地下功能。占地70英亩的MU地下洞穴研究和培训（MUSCRAT）公园包括矿井，涵洞和测试坑，将用于REU项目数据收集。研究活动旨在通过地下灾害调查和废弃煤矿的可持续利用来促进科学进步。这个REU网站旨在为经济萧条的阿巴拉契亚南部地区的社区学院学生提供教育机会，特别是那些来自非STEM专业的学生。这个为期三年的REU网站在马歇尔大学，涉及土木工程和机械工程系的教师和研究生导师。该项目位于占地70英亩的MU地下洞穴研究和培训（MUSCRAT）公园，项目目标是：（1）为社区大学学生，特别是非STEM专业的学生提供工程研究经验;（2）提高参与者的研究和创造能力;（3）提高参与者的沟通技巧;（4）提高参与者的研究能力和创新能力。以及（4）增加女性、代表性不足的少数民族、退伍军人和第一代大学生选择攻读工程和其他STEM领域学位（本科和研究生）或职业的人数。计划研究课题的例子包括空洞和潜在天坑的无损检测（例如，该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This three-year REU Site at Marshall University (MU) will recruit students enrolled in non-STEM majors at community colleges located in the southern Appalachian region to participate in engineering research related to subterranean features. The 70-acre MU Subterranean Cavity Research and Training (MUSCRAT) Park includes mined shafts, culverts, and test pits that will be utilized for the REU project data collection. Research activities are designed to promote the progress of science through subterranean hazard investigation and sustainable uses of abandoned coal mines. This REU Site aims provide educational opportunities for students in the economically depressed southern Appalachian region from community colleges, particularly those from non-STEM majors.This three-year REU Site at Marshall University involves faculty and graduate student mentors from the departments of civil engineering and mechanical engineering. Located in the 70-acre MU Subterranean Cavity Research and Training (MUSCRAT) Park, the project objectives are to: (1) provide community college students, particularly those from non-STEM majors, with an engineering research experience; (2) improve participants’ research and creative abilities; (3) improve participants’ communication skills; and (4) increase the number of women, underrepresented minorities, veterans, and first-generation college students choosing to pursue degrees (both undergraduate and graduate) or careers in engineering and other STEM fields. Examples of the planned research topics include non-destructive detection of voids and potential sinkholes (e.g., karst), technologies to explore and map abandoned coal mines, use of mine pools for geothermal heating and cooling, and acid mine drainage mitigation.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.