SRS RN: Transforming Rural-Urban Systems: Trajectories for Sustainability in the Intermountain West

灾难性的野火、不断减少的供水和城市人口的快速增长是西部山区面临的一些最紧迫的挑战。然而，目前IMW的城乡系统(URS)可获得的服务和资源使社区缺乏应对这些问题的能力。改造城乡系统：西部山区可持续发展轨迹研究网络(TRUSTS-RN)是一项跨学科的研究工作，代表了不同的社区、部门、学科和背景，旨在改善区域可持续发展。利用融合的研究和教育计划，该网络侧重于如何整合水源和依赖水源的系统、区域粮食-能源-水系统以及创新的机构和治理方法，以帮助指导城市规划沿着为人类和环境创造可持续未来的轨道前进。网络研究项目和教育活动旨在与区域合作伙伴共同产生知识，并利用一种新的指导转型(GT)框架，该框架结合了不同的观点，包括土著和基于地方的知识，并重视社区和环境福祉。在五年的时间里，该网络的目标是：(1)提高对相互关联的全球可持续发展系统的反馈、进程和行为者的理解；(2)创建一个多样化的、积极参与的综合治理合作伙伴网络，以增进对社区需求的了解，并探索可持续的解决办法；(3)培训一批新的科学家和具有汇聚、复杂系统思维专长的领导人；以及(4)通过全球技术框架，记录和分享制定可持续全球可持续发展的过程。TRUSTS-RN的不同学术学科和非学术合作伙伴关系将接受和整合西方和本土文化知识，并使用系统研究方法来促进关于城市资源动态、复原力和转型机会的理论和应用知识。通过这样做，该网络将以文化的开放态度和科学的粒度，增加关于区域可持续发展的传统和西方知识，同时确定和解决现实世界的生态系统问题和社区挑战。通过广泛的跨学科整合，该网络的目标是通过基础性和受使用启发的科学项目创造影响，通过在该研究所的项目的区域范围内实施促进可持续发展科学。该网络旨在推进GT理论，以协作和公平的方式将URS的结构和过程转变为可持续发展。该项目由既定的激励竞争研究计划(EPSCoR)共同资助。该项目也由HSI计划共同资助，该计划旨在加强本科生STEM教育，扩大对STEM的参与，并建设HSIS的能力。鉴于高等教育机构的不同性质和背景，实现这些目标需要创新的方法，以激励机构和社区的变革，并促进基础研究(I)关于学生参与式学习，(Ii)关于如何有效地多样化和增加对STEM的参与，以及(Iii)提高我们对如何建设高等教育机构能力的理解。HSI计划支持的项目也将从这些方法中获得如何实现这些目标的新知识。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Catastrophic wildfires, dwindling water supplies, and rapid urban population growth are some of the most pressing challenges of the Intermountain West (IMW). However, the current services and resources available to urban and rural systems (URS) in the IMW leave communities ill-equipped to face these issues. The Transforming Rural-Urban Systems: Trajectories for Sustainability in the Intermountain West Research Network (TRUSTS-RN) is a transdisciplinary research effort representing diverse communities, sectors, disciplines, and backgrounds aimed at improving regional sustainability. Using a convergent research and education plan, the Network focuses on how headwaters and headwater dependent systems, regional food-energy-water systems, and innovative institutions and approaches to governance can be integrated to help direct URS along trajectories that result in a sustainable future for humans and the environment. Network research projects and educational activities are designed to co- produce knowledge with regional partners and utilize a novel framework for Guided Transformation (GT) that incorporates diverse perspectives, includes Indigenous and place-based knowledge, and values community and environmental well-being. Over the course of five years, the Network aims to: (1) improve understanding of inter-linked URS system feedbacks, processes and actors; (2) create a diverse and engaged network of IMW partners to advance understanding of community needs and explore sustainable solutions; (3) train a new cohort of scientists and leaders with expertise in convergent, complex systems thinking; and (4) record and share the processes for developing sustainable URS through a GT framework.This Network uses a convergent research approach to explore how a GT framework can be employed to build synergistic system connectivity across urban-rural gradients to promote sustainable cities, landscapes, and livelihoods across the IMW. The TRUSTS-RN’s diverse academic disciplines and non- academic partnerships will embrace and integrate western and Indigenous cultural knowledge and use a system-of-systems research approach to advance the theory and applied knowledge of the dynamics, resilience, and transformational opportunities of URS. In so doing, the Network will increase traditional and western knowledge of regional sustainability with cultural open-mindedness and scientific granularity, while identifying and addressing real-world ecosystem issues and community challenges. Through broad cross-disciplinary integration, the Network targets creation of impact through fundamental and use-inspired science projects, advancing sustainability science through regional-scale implementation of projects in the IMW. The Network intends to advance GT theories for collaboratively and equitably transforming URS structures and processes towards sustainability.This project is co-funded by the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR).This project is also co-funded by the HSI Program which aims to enhance undergraduate STEM education, broaden participation in STEM, and build capacity at HSIs. Achieving these aims, given the diverse nature and context of the HSIs, requires innovative approaches that incentivize institutional and community transformation and promote fundamental research (i) on engaged student learning, (ii) about what it takes to diversify and increase participation in STEM effectively, and (iii) that improves our understanding of how to build institutional capacity at HSIs. Projects supported by the HSI Program will also draw from these approaches to generate new knowledge on how to achieve these aims.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.