NRT: Training Next Generation Resource Managers with Converging Technologies for Sustainable Uses of Water and Land

About This Grant

The ongoing challenge of environmental degradation of water and land has significant implications for the well-being of both current and future generations. The causes of this degradation are often complex, leading to consequences that can directly and indirectly affect various aspects of society in communities across different regions. Without a holistic perspective and a systematic approach, the strategies used to mitigate resource degradation tend to be piecemeal, resulting in less effective and efficient outcomes. Training resource managers with interdisciplinary perspectives and the capability to adopt a holistic approach that is key to preparing the next-generation of resource managers to face current and future environmental challenges. This is especially critical for rural communities with limited access to information, technology, and economic resources that could be used to monitor their current status and develop strategies to protect natural resources. This National Science Foundation Research Traineeship (NRT) award to the University of North Dakota (UND) will leverage expertise from the departments of Earth System Science and Policy, Geography and GIScience, Atmospheric Sciences, and Aviation, supported by Teaching & Leadership, Education, Health & Behavior Studies, and the Research Institute for Autonomous Systems at the UND, to develop a graduate training program focused on stakeholder-driven, faculty-guided, and student-led research regarding sustainable management of water and land resources. The training program anticipates benefiting 60 graduate students in STEM master's and doctoral programs, including 15 NSF-funded trainees (5 PhD students and 10 Master's students). The UND NRT training program will prepare future resource managers with a thorough understanding of the complex interactions between nature and society and the use of a set of advanced technologies. The UND NRT program will foster close collaboration with stakeholders, including government agencies, Tribal research and education institutions, and the private sector, to work on projects that assess the current status of land and water resources, explore practices for their efficient and sustainable use, and develop effective strategies to protect these essential natural resources. The program will begin by building a strong scientific foundation with in-depth knowledge from fields such as Earth Systems, Physical Geography, Remote Sensing, Autonomous Systems, and Environmental Policy and Management. The program will then focus on cultivating an interdisciplinary research environment through close collaboration with the stakeholders on jointly developed research projects. This approach aims to establish practical, demand-driven research directions, promote collaboration opportunities, and support the career development of individual trainees. The NRT program will provide NRT and non-NRT trainees with a regionally responsive, place-based learning environment. Ultimately, through a multifaceted approach, the program aims to equip future environmental leaders with the knowledge, skills, and global awareness necessary to address complex environmental challenges, protect society's natural resources, respect local values, and enhance community well-being and resilience. The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new, and potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high-priority interdisciplinary or convergent research areas through comprehensive traineeship models that are innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs. 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.