REU Site: Atmospheric Research and Engineering Solutions for Climate Change and Environmental Challenges

应对气候变化的缓解以及具有成本效益和/或能源效益的环境挑战解决办法，是改善环境和公众健康的迫切需要。本科生研究体验(REU)网站将为24名主要来自少数族裔、女性和第一代/低收入家庭学生的美国本科生提供机会，参加为期十周的为期三年的暑期项目，开展大气研究和工程解决方案，以应对气候变化和环境挑战。每年将从UAlbany REU网站的全国搜索中招募8名不同的本科生，与来自大气科学研究中心(ASRC)、环境与可持续工程系(ESE)以及大气与环境科学系(DAES)的教师一起工作。这个REU项目将培养一支由年轻科学家组成的多样化的STEM劳动力队伍，为推动美国促进科学和工程进步的使命做出广泛贡献。该项目将促进本科生教育的多样性，并通过提高人们对气候变化影响的认识并产生潜在的环境和气候解决方案，帮助监管机构制定适当的管理举措，以改善环境和公众健康。该项目的目标是1)扩大学生的研究经验和气候变化意识，2)增加学生的环境技能和知识；可持续工程和大气科学；3)通过合作研究培训、指导和建立专业网络促进专业成长；4)增强有效沟通、自信、职业适应和领导能力；5)培养未被充分代表的学生在STEM领域选择职业的兴趣。REU网站将以这样的方式构建，使REU学生能够自信地在项目期间成功完成任务。学生将有机会根据自己的兴趣选择自己的研究项目。学生将在不同的项目中工作，涵盖范围广泛的前沿研究，包括区域气候变化和变异性、气溶胶和天气预报、气溶胶-云-化学相互作用、大气化学和空气质量、古气候学和海洋地球化学、表面交换过程-海-气界面、可再生能源、可持续废水处理、碳和养分的生物地球化学循环、可持续城市雨水管理和能源可持续性。这些REU项目将教育和培训以前研究经验有限(或没有)的学生，以推动知识和先进研究经验的前沿，以应对气候变化和环境问题。该REU网站通过学生与教师、学生与学生之间的互动以及几项活动提供强有力的指导，以促进他们的专业发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Addressing climate change mitigation and cost-effective and/or energy efficient solutions of environmental challenges is of a critical need to improve environmental and public health. This Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) site will provide 24 U.S. undergraduate students primarily from underrepresented minorities, women and first-generation/low-income students the opportunity to participate in a ten-week summer program over three years for conducting atmospheric research and engineering solutions to address climate change and environmental challenges. Each year a cohort of 8 diverse undergraduate students will be recruited from a national search with the UAlbany REU site to work with faculty mentors from the Atmospheric Sciences Research Center (ASRC), the Department of Environmental and Sustainable Engineering (ESE), and the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences (DAES). This REU project will develop a diverse STEM workforce of young scientists to contribute broadly to advancing the U.S. mission of promoting the progress of science and engineering. This project will promote diversity in undergraduate education and bring benefits to the society as a whole by increasing awareness of climate change impacts and yielding potential environmental and climate solutions that can assist regulatory agencies in developing appropriate management initiatives to improve environmental and public health.The objectives of this REU site are to 1) broaden student research experience and climate change awareness, 2) increase students’ skills and knowledge on environmental & sustainable engineering and atmospheric science, 3) enhance professional growth through collaborative research training, mentoring, and building professional networks, 4) enhance competencies in effective communication, self-confidence, professional adaptability, and leadership, and 5) develop interest among underrepresented students in choosing careers in STEM fields. The REU site will be structured in such a way that REU students can feel confident that they can complete the tasks successfully during the program. Students will have the opportunity to select their individual research projects based on their personal interests. Students will work in different projects that encompass a wide range of cutting-edge research in regional climate change and variability, aerosols and weather forecasts, aerosol-cloud-chemistry interactions, atmospheric chemistry and air quality, paleoclimatology and marine geochemistry, surface exchange processes-air-sea interface, renewable energy, sustainable wastewater treatment, biogeochemical cycling of carbon and nutrients, sustainable urban stormwater management, and energy sustainability. These REU projects will educate and train students with limited (or no) prior research experiences to push the frontiers of knowledge and advanced research experiences to tackle climate change and environmental problems. This REU site offers robust mentoring through student-faculty and student-student interactions and several events to enhance their professional development.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.