REU Site: Integrated Watersheds from Urban Centers to Estuaries

拟议的REU暑期计划将把学生安排在围绕综合流域科学主题组织的教职员工研究计划中。这种体验将包括在教师指导的小组中进行个人研究，以及统一活动，在这些活动中，学生研究人员将沉浸在其他小组的方法中。该计划的目标是鼓励年轻科学家的发展，他们对代表现代环境科学未来的大规模跨学科问题感兴趣，并有能力解决这些问题。该计划的具体目标是：(1)让本科生参与实践中的个人研究项目，对他们进行基础分水岭科学方面的培训；(2)让学生接触不同的科学方法和实验尺度，从分子到生物、社区、生态系统和分水岭；(3)向学生介绍科学成果，同时强调围绕水资源的社会和政策压力；(4)在整个科学领域培养对就业机会的认识。德克萨斯大学奥斯汀分校的环境科学研究所(ESI)可以实现这些目标，作为其正在进行的流域倡议的一部分。这一跨学科倡议将教师与自然科学、社会科学和工程学中强大的分水岭相关研究项目联系在一起。几乎所有这些教职员工都曾指导过一些本科生，作为他们研究小组的一部分。计划开展一系列协调一致的区域研究联盟活动，包括：制定个人研究项目、联系实地经验、流域科学前沿系列研讨会、专业发展研讨会系列、社会活动、一部纪录片，以及带有口头陈述的期末研究专题讨论会。招聘工作将侧重于在科学领域代表性不足的群体，以及在没有强大研究项目的大学就读的个人。该网站由国防部与NSF REU计划合作提供支持。

The proposed REU summer program will place students in faculty research programs organized around a theme of Integrated Watershed Science. The experience will include individual research within faculty-mentored groups and unifying activities in which student researchers will be immersed in the methods of other groups. The goal of this program is to encourage the development of young scientists who are interested in and capable of addressing the large-scale interdisciplinary questions that represent the future of modern environmental science. The specific objectives of this program are to: (1) involve undergraduates in hands-on, individual research projects that will train them in basic watershed science; (2) provide exposure to different scientific approaches and experimental scales, from molecular to organismal, community, ecosystem, and watershed; (3) introduce students to the presentation of scientific results to their peers and the public while underscoring the social and policy pressures surrounding water resources; (4) create awareness of career opportunities across the entire spectrum of science. The Environmental Science Institute (ESI) at UT-Austin can achieve these objectives as part of its ongoing Watersheds Initiative. This interdisciplinary initiative has linked faculty with strong watershed-related research programs in natural and social sciences and engineering. Nearly all of these faculty members have mentored a number of undergraduates as part of their research groups. A coordinated series of REU activities are planned including: individual research project development, connecting field experiences, frontiers of watershed science seminar series, professional development seminar series, social activities, a documentary film, and a final research symposium with oral presentations. The recruiting effort will emphasize individuals from groups that are underrepresented in science and attending colleges without strong research programs. The site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program.