"Lake Tahoe to Pyramid Lake": Summer Research Experience in Arid West

Board Of Regents, Nshe, Obo University Of Nevada, Reno, Reno NV

Investigators

Abstract

UNIVERSITY OF NEVADA, RENO - REU PROJECT ABSTRACT Intellectual Merit. The Academy for the Environment REU Site program will link nationally recruited undergraduates with accomplished academic scientists to further the scientific understanding of our bioregion. These research teams will work in the Eastern Sierra Region of Nevada, specifically within the Lake Tahoe-Truckee River-Pyramid Lake watershed. This REU site encompasses a wide range of biological and natural resource science research, and the topics range from studies on fire effects on watershed restoration to the anthropogenic influences on water quality along the shore zone at Lake Tahoe. The REU Site participants will be exposed to diverse scientific inquiries and technologies to gain insight into the manner in which science informs land use policy and conservation initiatives. The overarching goal of this program is to explore the interdisciplinary intersections of the various subfields in the sciences that are required for adaptively managing watersheds. The unifying approach of the program centers upon the necessary union of social and biological sciences with natural resource management policy. The research projects with which students are involved are situated within a biologically diverse watershed, a unique ecological system that provides varied and compelling research opportunities in mountain, desert, and riparian biotic communities. More broadly, the program exposes students to integrated research questions that connect these ecosystems to larger questions of water usage and conservation in the West. The exploration of these inquiries entails utilizing state-of-the-art technologies, while also allowing each student to explore in depth a particular aspect of a given project. Broader Impacts. An important emphasis of this program is team building and positive work environments and the role of undergraduate students in these processes. As a result, the impact of the REU Site program will expand the students' understanding of, and participation in, effective research programs while producing research that has the potential to contribute significantly to a particular field. The desired outcome of this program is to bridge students, faculty, and natural resource managers in a collective effort towards enhancing our scientific understanding of regional conservation issues in an applied context.