IRES-International Research in Geosciences (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences) in Ethiopia

该提案的重点是为美国学生和非传统留学目的地（埃塞俄比亚）代表性不足的少数民族提供地球科学方面的国际教育和研究机会。只有4%的国际本科生的研究经验是在非洲。最近的研究记录了这些国际经验的好处，包括：增加对其他文化，世界地理，文化相对主义和全球相互依存的了解。学生普遍表现出对具有实际影响的全球重要性问题越来越大的热情，并强烈吸引跨学科课程，特别是那些社会相关性。在这项提案中的合作将有助于在美国发展全球参与的劳动力的努力，并为学生提供机会，以解决全球规模的问题，作为国际社会的成员。该项目可能对美国学生参与地球科学教育和研究产生重大影响。我们希望参加国际研究，研究培训计划和国外实地经验的学生将获得地球科学方面的知识和研究技能，并鼓励他们在这些领域从事学术和/或工业职业。北卡罗来纳州AT大学（NCA T）和埃塞俄比亚的科学家和学生正在从合作中受益，因为他们现在正在发展长期持久的关系，为联合全球项目创造条件。埃塞俄比亚是培训美国学生地球科学的理想自然实验室。主要的埃塞俄比亚裂谷和阿法尔凹陷地区是地球上除冰岛以外唯一正在研究从大陆向海洋裂谷过渡的地方。穿越埃塞俄比亚的东非裂谷系是世界地质奇观之一，在这里，地球的构造力量目前正试图通过分裂旧板块来创造新板块。 埃塞俄比亚和撒哈拉以南非洲也是生物质燃烧（BB）产生的大气气溶胶水平最高的地区，BB被认为是区域碳，能源和水循环的主要驱动力。选定的IRES学生将与来自NCA& T，阿迪斯大学（AAU）和阿巴拉契亚州立大学（ASU）的研究导师以及来自AAU的学生研究人员一起工作，以（1）进行地球物理学研究，包括探索地热能和地下水资源;（2）在阿迪斯开始长期测量大气气溶胶;和（3）进行基于实验室的BB气溶胶光学特性研究（4）应用傅里叶变换光谱技术开发一氧化碳（CO）排放清单。拟议的活动建立在三所大学现有的研究能力以及NCA T和AAU之间的合作基础上，这些合作涉及许多美国本科生的国际研究经验。研究经验将在世界的一个地区进行，该地区是理想的自然地球科学实验室（地球和大气科学），传统上一直被国际学生的研究机会所忽视。美国学生参与者将与AAU学生和教师研究人员一起工作，他们是跨学科地球科学项目的领导者，这些项目将灌输地球系统科学方法并具有社会影响，包括地热能，水资源，板块构造以及区域空气质量和气候变化之间的关系。

This proposal focuses on providing international educational and research opportunities in geosciences for US students and underrepresented minorities in a non-traditional study abroad destination, in this case Ethiopia. Only 4% of international undergraduate student research experiences are in Africa. Recent research has documented the benefits of these international experiences including: increased knowledge of other cultures, world geography, cultural relativism, and global interdependence. Students in general show increasing enthusiasm about problems of global importance that have practical consequences and are strongly attracted to interdisciplinary courses, especially those of societal relevance. The collaborations in this proposal will aid the effort of developing a globally engaged workforce in the US and provide the opportunity for students to tackle problems of global magnitude as members of the world community. This project can have a significant impact on the participation of U.S. students in geosciences education and research at both participating U.S. institutions. We expect that students participating in the international study, research training program and field experience abroad will acquire knowledge and research skills in geosciences and will be encouraged to pursue academic and/or industrial careers in these areas. The scientists and students at North Carolina A&T University (NCA&T) and in Ethiopia are benefiting from the collaboration, as they are now developing long lasting relationships that create the conditions for joint global projects. Ethiopia serves as an ideal natural laboratory for training US students in the geosciences. The main Ethiopian Rift and the Afar Depression region is the only location on earth, other than Iceland, where the transition from continental to oceanic rift is being studied. The East African Rift System crossing through Ethiopia is one the geologic wonders of the world, a place where the earth's tectonic forces are presently trying to create new plates by splitting apart old ones. Ethiopia and sub-Saharan Africa is also home to some of the highest levels of atmospheric aerosols from biomass-burning (BB) and BB is believed to be a major driver of regional carbon, energy, and water cycles. Selected IRES students will work alongside research mentors from NCA&T, Addis Ababa University (AAU) and Appalachian State University (ASU) and student researchers from AAU to (1) conduct geophysics research including exploring geothermal energy and groundwater sources; (2) initiate long-term measurements of atmospheric aerosols in Addis Ababa; and (3) conduct laboratory-based studies of BB aerosol optical properties (4) apply Fourier Transform spectroscopic techniques to develop carbon monoxide (CO) emission inventories. The proposed activities build upon existing research capabilities at the three universities and collaborations between NCA&T and AAU, which have involved numerous US undergraduates in international research experiences. The research experiences will be conducted in a region of the world that serves as an ideal natural geoscience laboratory (Earth and atmospheric sciences) and which has traditionally been neglected for international student research opportunities. U.S. student participants will work alongside AAU students and faculty researchers who are leaders in their field on interdisciplinary geoscience projects that will instill Earth system science approach and have societal implications, including geothermal energy, water resources, plate tectonics, and relationships between regional air quality and climate change.