Development of Indio Mountains Research Station, Phase III

历史：奇瓦瓦沙漠可能是北美研究最少的沙漠，但它的生物多样性可能是所有沙漠中最高的，很少有地区可以不受限制地进入实地研究和教育的地点。印第安山研究站(IMRS)是一个占地40,000英亩的研究和教育设施，由德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校(UTEP)运营。空间站位于得克萨斯州西部的奇瓦瓦沙漠，毗邻美墨边境。该研究所目前的研究活动包括响尾蛇和蜥蜴生态学、短暂水池中的节肢动物生态学、蝎子、蜘蛛和蜈蚣的系统学以及奇瓦瓦沙漠的结构地质研究。一个致力于无线通信、计算机技术和实验室操作的新实验室将增加这个空间站的价值。IMRS的偏远地区使这项技术对当前的行动和未来的研究计划至关重要。在过去的五年中，IMRS的使用有所增加，主要是因为NSF资助的改进，但需要一个现代化的中心来容纳技术和后勤支持的基本物品。项目计划：得克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校的这个奖项是为了建造一个实验室和技术大楼，里面有专门用于计算机资源的干净空间，包括无线接入IMRS上的远程站、UTEP校园和互联网。它还将为与实地研究相关的实验室活动和一个湿实验室提供空间。目前的电力和供水系统也将扩大，以维持额外的基础设施。UTEP以IMRS为主要实地调查机构，是在科学和技术方面代表不足的西班牙裔学生的重要教育者。UTEP的招生人数约为2.1万人，其中包括72%以上的西班牙裔学生，其中大多数是女性。UTEP还为埃尔帕索地区的大多数K-12教师(学校接近80%的西班牙裔)提供教育。因此，参与IMRS活动的学生、教师和未来的教师将对K-12学生的科学能力产生重大影响，并应提高少数民族学生对科学和科学学科的兴趣。此外，未来与长期观测站网络小组的伙伴关系将提高IMRS作为外地站点的价值。

History: The Chihuahuan Desert, which may be the least studied North American desert but with possibly the highest biodiversity of any desert, has few areas with unrestricted access to locations for field research and education. Indio Mountains Research Station (IMRS) is a 40,000 acre research and educational facility operated by the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). The station is located in the Chihuahuan Desert of west Texas, adjacent to the U.S.-Mexico border. Examples of current research activities at IMRS include rattlesnake and lizard ecology, arthropod ecology in ephemeral pools, systematics of scorpions, spiders and centipedes and structural geology studies of the Chihuahuan Desert. A new laboratory dedicated to wireless communication, computer technology, and laboratory operations would increase the value of this station. The remote locality of IMRS makes this technology vital for current operations and future research initiatives. Usage of IMRS has increased during the last five years, primarily because of NSF-funded improvements, but a modern center to house essential items for technological and logistic support is needed. Project plan: This award to University of Texas-El Paso is to build a laboratory and technology building with clean space dedicated to computer resources, including wireless access to remote stations on IMRS, to the UTEP campus, and the internet. It will also contain space for laboratory activities associated with field studies and a wet lab. The present electrical and water systems will also be expanded to sustain the additional infrastructure. UTEP, with IMRS as its major field investigation facility, is a foremost educator of underrepresented Hispanic students in science and technology. Enrollment at UTEP is about 21,000 and includes over 72% Hispanic students, with a majority of these students female. UTEP also educates most of the K-12 teachers in the El Paso area (schools are close to 80% Hispanic). Thus, students, teachers and future teachers involved in IMRS activities will have a significant impact on the scientific competence of K-12 students and should increase interest of minority students in science and scientific disciplines. In addition, future partnering with long term observatory network groups will advance the value of IMRS as a field site.