Research Opportunities for Undergraduates
Research Opportunities for Undergraduates in Earth Science -May 24 to July 30, 2021.
The University of New Mexico Gallup is offering a two 8 week Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates in Gallup, NM in conjunction with University of Central Florida, Montclair University, Denison University, University of Southern Georgia, and University of New Orleans. Over the summer, participants will conduct cutting edge research while learning analytical techniques, computer and statistical modeling. Participants will work with a team of researchers across the country to understand the behavior of coastal river systems and their societal implications.
Surface to Strata Program
Project Overview
River deltas are complex landforms which transport water and sediment from continents to oceans. They are extremely sensitive to environmental changes, e.g. sea-level rise, sediment and water supply, and therefore communities that rely on the resources of these dynamic and sensitive landscapes are at risk. The past dynamics of deltas are partially preserved in their sedimentary records, and these records represent valuable templates for testing predictive models of future change. To understand these systems, the researchers propose to create a predictive framework that enables them to relate the arrangement of channels and floodplains on the surface of deltas to the record of past dynamics preserved in their sediments.
Projects include image analysis, seismic analysis, spatial statistics, computer modeling
Recommended for students interested in geology, civil engineering, math, computer programming and related fields
Bonnet Carre DELTAS Project
Project Overview
Vast areas of the Mississippi River Delta are rapidly disappearing due to subsidence, dwindling sediment supply, and rising sea levels. Billions of federal dollars are currently invested in mitigation strategies to combat land loss in coastal Louisiana. These strategies include the construction of engineered diversions to direct sediment-laden flood waters to regions that have sunk beneath sea-level. In response to these urgent needs, the basic science that underpins these strategies must be advanced apace. To understand these systems, researchers propose to characterize the deposits from the 2019 flood mapping out the deposits, characterizing the deposits, looking at presence of anthropocentric contaminants (carbon and microplastics), and generate accessible field opportunities and data sets for educational purposes.
Projects include mapping, stratigraphy characterization, pollutants in microplastics and anthropogenic carbon, social aspects related to flood damage, creating educational modules
Recommended for students interested in geology, civil engineering, math, education, computer programming and related fields
Eligibility
The program is open to undergraduate students interested in civil engineering, geosciences, environmental science, ecology, mathematics, or related fields. We encourage applications from students who have been historically under-represented in Science – women, people who identify as Black, Indigenous, or Latinx, nontraditional students, first generation college students, low income students, and veterans.
Program benefits include:
· $5,000 stipend
· Professional development and technical skill training
· Funding to present research at a conference