Advancing Research, Education and Public Engagement at The University of Memphis Meeman Biological Station

土地的快速城市化和在城市环境中为人们保持高质量生活的挑战需要领导和创新研究。孟菲斯大学和米曼生物站（MBS）位于中南部地区的商业和文化中心，具有独特的地位，可以为自然资源管理和可持续发展提供必要的指导。为了实现这一目标，该项目促进了一项五年计划的制定，该计划将使MBS得到更充分和更广泛的利用，旨在开展并促进世界级的生态研究和教育。包括少数民族在研究和教育活动中的代表性将是该计划的主要目标。规划过程包括访问现有的实地监测站，以研究、教育和社区参与为重点的讲习班，以及针对地方和区域利益攸关方的在线调查。收集信息的精细化将有助于确定重要的研究方向，扩大本科生和在职教师的教育机会，通过有针对性的环境教育规划增加对K-12学生和社区的宣传，并为MBS的先进运营和财政管理制定坚实的道路。这是一个解决长期规划的理想时机，因为孟菲斯大学任命了新的行政领导，并聘请了对使用MBS感兴趣的新教师，从而推动了项目的增加。孟菲斯大学爱德华·j·米曼生物站（MBS）位于密西西比河以东两英里处的第三奇卡索断崖上（由更新世黄土形成），位于密西西比河流域和西田纳西州沿海平原地理区域之间的狭窄过渡地带。这个位置为陆地、大河和相关栖息地的研究提供了一个生物多样性丰富的区域。该项目的目标是为MBS制定一个5年战略计划，以推进未来的研究方向、教育规划和社区参与，以确保其在区域和国家的相关性、活力和可持续性。将采用三种方法来获得见解和收集资料：1)访问具有类似任务、与区域有关并在城市环境中的生物组织野外站的选定地点；2)举办三个研讨会，重点是研究方向、教育规划和社区外展；3)根据实地站访问和讲习班收集的信息制作在线问卷，并将其广泛分发给区域利益攸关方，以获得额外的投入和反馈。根据收集的数据编制的文件将指导MBS的长期方向和规划。作为密西西比河下游唯一的城市野外观测站，位于三州，10个县的中南部地区的中心，这是提高MBS能力的良机。位于130万人口的大都市地区，MBS很好地吸引了那些通常在科学领域代表性不足的学生。与当地表现不佳的中学、孟菲斯大学的社区大学分校、HBCU Lemoyne-Owen学院和非营利组织的现有合作提供了机会，以一种许多人从未遇到过的方式将多群学生引入自然环境。这种合作可以为更广泛的社区认识和欣赏科学、环境以及人类在形成环境方面所起的作用奠定基础。有关MBS的更多信息，请访问http://www.memphis.edu/meeman/。

Rapid urbanization of lands and the challenge to maintain a high quality of life for people in urban environments requires leadership and innovative research. Situated within the commercial and cultural hub of the mid-South region, The University of Memphis and Meeman Biological Station (MBS) are in a unique position to provide essential guidance related to natural resources management and sustainability. Toward that goal, this project facilitates development of a 5-year plan that will enable fuller and broader utilization of MBS with the intent to conduct and contribute to world-class ecological research and education. Including minority representation in research and educational pursuits will be a primary objective of the plan. The planning process consists of visits to existing field stations, workshops focused on research, education and community engagement, and an online survey targeted at local and regional stakeholders. Distillation of gathered information will help identify important research directions, expand educational opportunities for undergraduates and teachers in training, increase outreach to K-12 students and the community through targeted environmental education programming and elaborate a solid path toward advanced operational and fiscal management of MBS. This is an ideal time to address long-term planning, as the appointment of new administrative leadership at the University of Memphis and hiring of new faculty interested in using MBS has resulted in a drive to increase programming. The University of Memphis Edward J. Meeman Biological Station (MBS) is two miles east of the Mississippi River on the third Chickasaw Bluff (formed from Pleistocene loess) and lies in the narrow transition zone between the Mississippi River Valley and the West Tennessee Coastal Plain physiographic regions. This location provides a biodiversity rich area for terrestrial as well as big-river and associated habitats research. The goal of this project is development of a 5-year strategic plan for MBS that would advance future research direction, educational programming and community engagement to ensure its regional and national relevance, vitality and sustainability. Three approaches will be used to gain insight and gather information: 1) visits to select Organization of Biological Field Station locations that have similar missions, are regionally relevant and are in urban environments; 2) hosting three workshops focused on research direction, educational programming and community outreach; and 3) creation of an online questionnaire, based on information garnered from field station visits and workshops, that will be widely disseminated to regional stakeholders for additional input and feedback. A document compiled from collected data will guide MBS long-term direction and programming. As the only urban field station on the lower Mississippi River and located in the heart of the tristate, 10 county Mid-South region, this is an opportune time to advance capabilities at MBS. Situated within a majority minority 1.3-million person metropolitan area, MBS is well positioned to engage students that are typically underrepresented in science. Existing collaborations with local underperforming middle schools, a community college feeder school for the University of Memphis, the HBCU Lemoyne-Owen College and non-profit organizations present opportunities to introduce multiple cohorts of students to the natural environment in a way that many have never encountered. Such collaborations could form the basis for broader community awareness and appreciation of science, the environment and the role humans play in shaping it. For more information about MBS, visit http://www.memphis.edu/meeman/.