REU Site: Sensors in Earth and Space Science: How We Observe Our Planet

University Of New Hampshire, Durham NH

Investigators

Abstract

The University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS) located in Durham, NH will host a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Site program. The primary objective of this REU Site is to provide a positive introduction to scientific research for underserved student populations. The scientific theme of the program is Earth Science, with a focus on using sensors and sensor-generated data for observations. The program aims to inspire and facilitate early undergraduates (rising sophomores) to choose STEM majors, and associate's degree students to transfer to bachelor's degree STEM programs. Students recruited from the two organizational partner institutes, the University of Puerto Rico and the New Hampshire Technology Institute (NHTI), will come to UNH main campus for 10 weeks for research under the mentorship of faculty in EOS. Interns will be housed in dormitories and work in laboratories at the UNH main campus and participate in a research symposium at the UNH Shoals Marine Laboratory on Appledore Island, ME. Field sites for student projects are available at the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary and the Great Bay Estuary in New Hampshire. Both students and mentors will receive professional development training prior to and during the summer. By using sensors as a unifying theme across multiple Earth and space science disciplines, the program will engage students in an interdisciplinary approach to science early in their careers. The number of Earth observations is greater today than ever before, and students must understand where sensor data come from, and how they are used to evaluate Earth and space as a system. Sensors as an REU theme opens a range of possible entry points for undergraduate students into Earth system research, from sensor engineering and design to field deployment and data analysis. By offering a wide range of research activity options, the program will provide students with an experience that both matches their interests and introduces them to new skills. Further, by using sensors as a unifying theme across multiple Earth and space science disciplines, students will engage in an interdisciplinary approach to science early in their careers. Student recruitment will rely on institutional collaborations with the University of Puerto Rico and the local NHTI community college. Faculty mentors will be engaged from each of the six EOS research centers: the Center for Acoustics Research and Education (CARE), the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping (CCOM), the Earth Systems Research Center (ESRC), the Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory (OPAL), the School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering (SMSOE), and the Space Science Center (SSC). This project is jointly funded by the Division of Ocean Sciences, the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR), and the Division of Earth Sciences. ​ 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.