Cultivating the Growth of Capitol Reef Field Station

犹他谷大学（UVU）获得了一笔拨款，用于对Capitol Reef Field Station （CRFS）进行全面规划，以更好地支持该设施的研究、教育和保护使命（www.uvu.edu/crfs/）。CRFS位于Capitol Reef国家公园内，该地区因其暴露的地质地层和相关的各种栖息地而受到保护，这些栖息地是丰富多样的生物的家园。CRFS成立于2008年，是UVU和国家公园管理局之间的合作协议，体现了大学和国家公园之间独特的伙伴关系。CRFS的一项战略计划将提高正在学习和开展教师指导的各种STEM学科研究的本科生对该站的利用。访问CRFS的大多数学生来自弗吉尼亚大学，这是一所致力于包容性和准入的开放招生机构。这所大学既是一所地区性综合性大学，又是一所社区学院，肩负着双重使命。弗吉尼亚大学处于一个不寻常的位置，它拥有一所综合性大学的实地研究站资源，同时为高比例的社区大学学生提供服务，这些学生在全国各地的实地研究站中所占比例不足。超过40%的弗吉尼亚大学学生要么是第一代大学生，要么是少数民族。战略规划将加强这个外地站向不同群体的个人提供有意义的经验的能力。此外，除了使弗吉尼亚大学的本科生受益外，拟议的规划过程还将使人们更好地了解像CRFS这样位于美国国家公园并通过大学合作伙伴关系运行的野外观测站。作为规划工作的一部分，UVU将对其他类似的实地站进行调查，以确定他们如何最大限度地利用大学与国家公园合作带来的机会，并将挑战降到最低。选定的调查参与者将被邀请参加CRFS的会议，与UVU教师和国会珊瑚礁国家公园的工作人员会面。然后，研究中心工作人员将访问主要会议参加者的外地站，其中一些人将被聘为顾问。顾问将协助制订研究中心的策略计划。战略规划过程的成果将包括：1)一份书面的5年计划，用于研究、教育和保护台站的活动；2)详细说明需要哪些额外设施和基础设施的文件，以及为这些需求寻求资金的五年计划；3)在生物野外站组织会议上，以数据为基础介绍与大学合作的美国国家公园野外站；4)提交发表的经同行评审的手稿。

Utah Valley University (UVU) is awarded a grant to conduct comprehensive planning for Capitol Reef Field Station (CRFS) to better support the facility's mission of research, education, and conservation (www.uvu.edu/crfs/). CRFS is located within Capitol Reef National Park, an area preserved because of its exposed geologic strata and associated variety of habitats that are home to a rich diversity of living organisms. Established in 2008 under a cooperative agreement between UVU and the National Park Service, CRFS embodies a unique partnership between a university and a national park. A strategic plan for CRFS will enhance the utilization of this station for undergraduates who are learning and conducting faculty-mentored research in a variety of STEM disciplines. The majority of students who visit CRFS are from UVU, an open-enrollment institution committed to inclusivity and access. The university serves a dual mission as both a regional, comprehensive university and as a community college. UVU is in the uncommon position of having the field station resources of a comprehensive university while serving a high proportion of community-college-going students who are underrepresented at field stations across the nation. Over 40% of UVU students are either first-generation college students or ethnic minorities. Strategic planning will enhance this field station's ability to provide meaningful experiences to a diverse group of individuals. Further, in addition to benefiting UVU undergraduates, the proposed planning process will lead to a better understanding of field stations, like CRFS, that are located in U.S. national parks and run through university partnerships.As part of the planning effort, UVU will conduct a survey among other similar field stations to determine how they maximize opportunities and minimize challenges associated with university-national park partnerships. Selected survey participants will be invited to a conference at CRFS to meet with UVU faculty and Capitol Reef National Park personnel. CRFS staff will then visit the field stations of key conference participants, some of whom will be hired as consultants. The consultants will assist in the development of CRFS's strategic plan. The products of the strategic planning process will include: 1) a written 5-year plan for research, education, and conservation activities at the station; 2) a document detailing what additional facilities and infrastructure are needed and a 5-year plan for seeking funding for these needs; 3) a data-informed presentation on field stations in U.S. national parks with university partnerships at the Organization of Biological Field Stations meeting; and 4) a peer-reviewed manuscript submitted for publication.