Application of Geomechanics/Geophysics to Solve Environmental Problems

9820325University of ArizonaSatya HarpalaniThis REU site will provide an opportunity for 10 students every year，for the next three years，to gain research experience in the area of application of Geomechanics and Geophysics to environmental problems. 该计划将通过向不同的大学/学院发送海报，以及在全国会议期间进行非正式面试来识别优秀学生，每次会议都有200多名本科生参加。 招募的四名学生将是大二学生，其余六名将是大三/大四学生。 将主要强调妇女和少数民族学生的参与。 该计划的目标是为本科生提供进行研究的兴奋体验，沿着这样做时的挫折和失败。 这些项目旨在为学生提供对研究的更好理解，一般来说，以及接触他们将从事的特定主题。预计参加这个项目将激励和激励学生，增加学生-学生和教师-学生互动，并扩大他们毕业后的选择，包括研究职业和研究生院。学生参与将开始包括资料记录及分析技巧、电脑技巧、撰写报告及公开演讲、安全问题，以及介绍他们将要进行的具体研究项目。之后，学生将进行为期九周的研究项目。 为本科生计划的一些项目是正在进行的研究项目的组成部分，而其他项目是专门为他们设计的。 研究活动涵盖了岩土工程领域教师的专业知识领域。 研究项目的具体主题如下：1）矿山废物的利用，2）裂隙岩石中的流体流动，3）流体对岩石强度的影响，4）使用图像处理研究岩石中的不连续性及其对强度/流动行为的影响，以及5）地下流体迁移的地球物理建模。 为了促进团队合作，学生将在两个或两个以上的小组工作。 在每个夏季/学期结束时，该计划将以小型会议/研讨会系列结束，包括参与者对他们的研究成果，成功和失败的演讲/海报，以及对他们学习经验的公开讨论。 如果学生愿意，他们可以将自己的作品作为“独立学习”的2/3单元。

9820325University of ArizonaSatya HarpalaniThis REU site will provide an opportunity for 10 students every year, for the next three years, to gain research experience in the area of application of Geomechanics and Geophysics to environmental problems. The program will identify exceptional students by sending posters to different universities/colleges, and informal interviews during national meetings, each attended by over 200 undergraduates. Four students recruited will be at the sophomore level, while the remaining six will be at the junior/senior level. There will be a major emphasis on participation by women and minority students. The goal of this program is to provide undergraduates with an experience of the excitement of conducting research, along with frustrations and failures when doing so. The projects are designed to provide students with an improved understanding of research, in general, as well as exposure to the specific topics they will be working on. It is anticipated that participating in this program will inspire and motivate students, increase student-student and faculty-student interactions and expand the choices available to them upon graduation to include research careers and graduate school.The student participation will start with an intensive workshop on "what research is all about" which will include techniques of data recording and analysis, computer skills, report writing and public speaking, safety issues, and an introduction to the specific projects they will be working on. Following this, the students will work on their research projects for nine weeks. Some of the projects planned for undergraduates are integral components of ongoing research projects while the others are designed specifically for them. The research activities span the areas of expertise of faculty members in the field of Geotechnical Engineering. The specific topics for research projects are as follows: 1) utilization of mine waste, 2) fluid flow in fractured rock, 3) effect of fluids on rock strength, 4) use of image processing to study the discontinuities in rock and their impact on strength/flow behavior, and 5) geophysical modeling of subsurface fluid migration. To promote teamwork, the students will work in groups of two or more. At the end of each summer/semester, the program will conclude with a mini conference/seminar series to include presentations/posters by participants on their research findings, successes and failures, and an open discussion on their learning experience. The students will be allowed to use their work as 2/3 units of "Independent Study", if they want to.