Research on Environmental Sustainability of Semi-Arid Coastal Areas (RESSACA)

Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, College Station TX

Investigators

Abstract

The College of Engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK) will use this Phase II CREST funding for its Research on Environmental Sustainability of Semi-Arid Coastal Areas (RESSACA) project. The project's goal is to become a nationally competitive leader in research on environmental engineering and sustainability, by identifying and advancing technology and knowledge generation goals, expanding partnership successes, and increasing the Hispanic environmental engineering graduate pool. Objectives are to: 1) become a major research resource and partner for environmental sustainability with institutions and industry in the South Texas-Mexico border region; 2) integrate research and education by engaging K-PhD students and the public; 3) increase Hispanic access and success in advanced environmental engineering degrees and their representation as environmental engineering faculty; and 4) transfer research and technology to the public. Research will focus on environmental sustainability in the semi-arid coastal regions of the Texas US-Mexico border, using three integrated subprojects: (1) Environmental Modeling and Informatics (EMI); (2) Environmental Monitoring and Assessments (EMA); and (3) Sustainable Technologies for the Environment (STE). The Univ. of Texas at Brownsville and Texas A&M International Univ., Hispanic-Serving Institutions will provide a student pipeline and regional-level research collaborations; National-level partnerships with Sandia National Laboratories have been formed to study trans-boundary water management and other topics. Bi-national research alliances developed with Instituto Tecnologico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) (Mexico) during RESSACA-1 will be expanded in RESSACA-2 to monitor and model trans-boundary fluxes which will provide a solid foundation for creating pertinent technologies and new knowledge for science-based decision making focused on sustainability issues affecting the Texas-Mexico border region.