REU Site: Sustainability and Resilience of Civil and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural Areas

This renewal Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site: Sustainability and Resilience of Civil and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural Areas is hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ten undergraduates each year will engage in interdisciplinary research opportunities focusing on sustainability and resilience in rural areas. Approximately 20% of the U.S. population and over 90% of the land area in the U.S., are integral to the well-being of both rural and urban communities. These areas provide resources for U.S. and global food and bioenergy production as well as the transportation infrastructure from inland urban centers to ports. Two areas characterize the research projects at this Site: 1) environmental and water resources engineering challenges, primarily driven by the agricultural industry and decentralized infrastructure; and 2) transportation and structural engineering challenges, primarily influenced by the low population density and localized “farm-to-market” transportation patterns. Students will be recruited primarily from institutions with limited or no research opportunities and/or students underrepresented in STEM. A series of communication development opportunities including preparation of a conference paper, informal presentations to peers, formal poster presentations, and outreach to high school students will be featured in the professional development component. Participants will also engage in preparation and readiness for pursuing graduate school in STEM areas. Part 2: This renewal Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site: Sustainability and Resilience of Civil and Environmental Infrastructure in Rural Areas is hosted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Ten undergraduates each year will engage in interdisciplinary research opportunities focusing on sustainability and resilience in rural areas. The projects will illustrate how these challenges are driven by the agricultural industry and a decentralized infrastructure, and how transportation is influenced by patterns of population density and the ‘farm-to-market aspects. In rural areas, both environmental and water resources engineering, along with transportation and structural engineering, face significant challenges. Sustainable and resilient solutions are needed that not only address these unique problems but do so in light of the interconnectedness of these issues. For instance, construction material choices for roadways can impact groundwater quality, while flood management decisions affect the resilience of bridges and structures. The objectives of this REU site include providing participants with first-hand exposure to the civil and environmental engineering challenges facing rural areas through research and professional development opportunities and promoting and sustaining the interest of undergraduate students in persisting in a STEM major and pursuing STEM graduate education. Through this REU site, ten undergraduates per year will be given an opportunity to conduct fundamental research with our faculty mentors. In addition, our REU site will offer a series of communication development opportunities including preparation of a conference paper, informal presentations to their peers, formal poster presentations, and outreach to high school students. This project is jointly funded by the EEC REU and the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCOR). 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.