DoD ASSURE-REU Site: Applied Knowledge in Water Quality

This site is supported by the Department of Defense in partnership with the NSF REU program. This 9-week REU will use an apprentice-style training model and an interdisciplinary approach to studying water quality issues. Poor water quality is widespread in the U.S. and is a complex problem that needs continued interdisciplinary research. We will investigate the dynamics and consequences of surface and groundwater quality issues including nutrient presence, algal blooms, nitrates in drinking water, and other emerging factors. In addition, we will explore potential solutions to these problems. Student-faculty teams will focus on policy and land use decision-making, the social and economic impacts of pollution, community capacity, policy implementation, remediation strategies, and communication with stakeholders. The results will be broadly disseminated via public student presentations, peer-reviewed literature, local media outlets, and directly to stakeholders. Data will also be integrated into a comprehensive strategy for land use and building community capacity. Through professional development programming, data sharing, and research activities, we will prepare students for graduate school and careers by providing them with the interdisciplinary and collaborative thinking skills necessary to address complex problems. Our students will be trained by disciplinary experts and work across teams to synthesize research and look for water quality remediation strategies. Students will become comfortable with looking at a problem from different angles and working collaboratively using a range of perspectives and methods including water quality sampling and testing techniques, interviews, surveys, archival research, remediation strategy testing, mathematical modeling, and statistical analysis. By synthesizing their results, students will improve their effectiveness in collaborative problem solving. This project will lead to significant translational impacts including but not limited to student training and education, adding to our understanding of the complex processes contributing to water quality, and developing practical solutions. By sharing the results with landowners, citizens, and government workers, this new knowledge will positively impact public policy, the local economy, and regional water quality. The overall project will help to develop a more competitive work force in the social and natural sciences in the US, support community engagement, and assist with improving water quality. 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.