REU Site: Restoring cattle ranches for sustainable land and water resources

这个REU网站奖给塔尔顿州立大学，位于斯蒂芬维尔，得克萨斯州，将支持10名学生在2018年至2020年的夏天10周的培训。研究将在主校区和位于德克萨斯州米尔斯县戈德斯韦特以南的廷伯莱克生物野外站进行。科学重点是与将工作的养牛场转变为长期生物野外站有关的环境问题。牧场曾经是一个广泛而有利可图的行业，很少关注环境。然而，对可持续土地和水资源利用的日益重视有助于重塑养牛场主管理资源的方式，以最大限度地提高收益，同时最大限度地减少对周围生态系统的影响。来自六个不同部门的教师导师（生物科学，化学，环境工程，地球科学，社会学，野生动物，可持续发展和生态系统科学）将指导本科生通过科学过程，因为他们解决与平衡经济可持续性与环境可持续性相关的基本和应用问题。预计共有30名学生，主要来自研究机会有限的学校，将在该计划中接受培训。通过从2年制和4年制西班牙裔服务机构大量招聘，REU网站将作为一个途径，为有才华的，代表性不足的学生从2年制学院过渡到4年制大学，从4年制大学到研究生院。学生将学习如何进行研究，许多人将在科学会议上展示他们的工作成果。由生物基础设施司资助的所有REU网站计划使用的一个基于网络的通用评估工具将用于确定培训计划的有效性。学生将在课程结束后进行跟踪，以确定他们的职业道路。学生将被要求通过NSF报告系统自动发送电子邮件。有关该计划的更多信息可访问http：//www.tarleton.edu/timberlakeranch/REU.html，或联系PI（克里斯托弗L博士）。希金斯在higgins@tarleton.edu）或共同PI（博士芭芭拉C。在bellows@tarleton.edu上的波纹管）。

This REU Site award to Tarleton State University, located in Stephenville, TX, will support the training of 10 students for 10 weeks during the summers of 2018 - 2020. Research will be conducted both on the main campus and at Timberlake Biological Field Station, located south of Goldthwaite in Mills County, TX. The scientific focus is on environmentally related issues associated with converting a working cattle ranch into a long-term biological field station. Ranching was once a widespread and profitable business with little environmental focus. However, increasing emphasis on sustainable land and water use has helped reshape how cattle ranchers manage their resources to maximize their gain while minimizing their impact on surrounding ecological systems. Faculty mentors from six different departments (Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, Geosciences, Sociology, and Wildlife, Sustainability, and Ecosystem Sciences) across three colleges will guide undergraduate students through the scientific process as they address basic and applied issues associated with balancing economic sustainability with environmental sustainability.It is anticipated that a total of 30 students, primarily from schools with limited research opportunities, will be trained in the program. By heavily recruiting from 2-year and 4-year Hispanic Serving Institutions, the REU Site will serve as a pathway for talented, underrepresented students to transition from 2-year colleges to 4-year universities and from 4-year universities to graduate school. Students will learn how research is conducted, and many will present the results of their work at scientific conferences.A common web-based assessment tool used by all REU Site programs funded by the Division of Biological Infrastructure will be used to determine the effectiveness of the training program. Students will be tracked after the program in order to determine their career paths. Students will be asked to respond to an automatic email sent via the NSF reporting system. More information about the program is available by visiting http://www.tarleton.edu/timberlakeranch/REU.html, or by contacting the PI (Dr. Christopher L. Higgins at higgins@tarleton.edu) or the Co-PI (Dr. Barbara C. Bellows at bellows@tarleton.edu).