Note: Application deadline extended to 2 March 2012

CSULB NSF-REU:  Geospatial Research and Mapping (GRAM) Field

Research Program for Undergraduates

Kauai, Hawai’i, June 11-July 7, 2012

We are seeking applicants for the 2012 Geospatial Research and Mapping (GRAM) program at the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Kaua`i, Hawai`i.  This summer program is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) offering.  For more information about NSF-REU programs please see:  http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/index.jsp.

Geospatial Research and Mapping

Geospatial science is an applied discipline that requires a strong field component. Employment in geospatial technology, a rapidly growing career option, often requires prior applied experiences. These field-based opportunities have become an increasingly essential component of the training for all geographers and related professionals. This REU entails a four-week summer program of training in geospatial mapping techniques related to natural and archaeological resource management.

The National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG, see: http://ntbg.org/ for more information) is a not-for-profit institution chartered by Congress, whose mission is to enrich life through discovery, scientific research, conservation, and education by perpetuating the survival of plants, ecosystems, and cultural knowledge of tropical regions. The NTBG encompasses nearly 2000 acres of gardens and preserves. Thousands of species have been gathered from throughout the tropical world through hundreds of field expeditions by staff and collaborations with other institutions and researchers, to form a living collection that is unparalleled anywhere. This collection includes the largest assemblages of native Hawaiian plant species and breadfruit cultivars in existence. NTBG’s preserves protect some of the most pristine natural habitats in the state and feature state-of-the-art restoration projects for some of Hawai`i’s rarest plants and animals. Through their collaborations with other organizations and institutions, including The Nature Conservancy, Makauwahi Cave Reserve, Na Pali Coast `Ohana, and the Hapa Trail project, NTBG’s conservation reach extends well beyond their boundaries and includes some of the most significant ancient Hawaiian cultural sites in the islands.

The mission of the NTBG includes a number of projects that dovetail well with the goals of our NSF REU. NTBG must track and map native species in their projects. The use of geospatial technology for generating these maps and confirming their accuracy on the ground is a vital dimension of their work. In addition, they are tasked with mapping cultural resources and documenting ancient land usage including trails, agricultural systems, and occupation sites. The training of students in remote sensing, the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), and other kinds of mapping and imaging technologies can be conducted on resources in need of study. In this way, we will train students on research projects that will directly contribute to the research and mission of NTBG and collaborating organizations.

Schedule

We are planning to run the first year of the three-year NSF REU program in June and July, 2012.  Students will all gather at California State University at Long Beach for one week of initial training on geospatial technology:  computers, GIS, image processing, data generation techniques, etc.  Students and Graduate Assistants will be housed at the CSULB dorms for this week-long training session.  We will then all travel to Kaua`i for the two-week field portion of the project.  Afterwards, we will return to CSULB for a final week of data analysis and presentation of results and map products.  Students and GAs will again be housed at the CSULB dorms.

June 11-17:        CSULB

June 17-July 1: Kaua`i

July 1-July 7:     CSULB

This experience is designed to provide a truly unique research and educational opportunity for undergraduate students through active participation in data collection and analysis in support of ongoing research by scientists at CSULB, the University of Hawaii, NTBG, and the Makauwahi Cave Reserve.

GRAM research will be conducted at two scales:  local site and broader landscape.  The summer research experience will emphasize the use of geospatial techniques to aid hypothesis-driven geospatially based natural resource and archaeological research and mapping that will result in improvements in the monitoring and analysis of environmental processes on Kaua`i.  The natural resource-focused research will contribute to improved understanding of long-term changes in vegetation cover dynamics, natural hazards, non-point source pollution, and surface/groundwater quality.  The archaeological research will contribute to improved understanding of settlement chronology and resource utilization prior to European contact.  An important practical goal will be to assist NTBG with baseline studies and monitoring protocols to assess the effectiveness of ecological restoration and cultural preservation activities.

GRAM will provide a framework for geospatial analysis of the landscape that introduces undergraduate students to technology and the culture of research while providing the tools and methods required to map, monitor, and analyze patters and environmental processes.  GRAM will allow undergraduate students to develop research questions and conduct basic and applied research on Kaua`i using cutting-edge geospatial technologies.

This REU site research focuses on the geospatial sciences and will apply geospatial technologies to address a combination of archaeological, natural resource mapping, and applied research questions.  Geospatial science refers to sub-disciplines within Geography (such as spatial analysis, biogeography, and hydrology) that evaluate the earth’s surface through the use of fieldwork and geospatial technologies, and integrate physical, biological, and human-built environments, both ancient and contemporary, for analysis and assessment.  Geospatial technologies include geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing, thematic mapping, image processing, global positioning systems (GPS), and spatial statistics.  Hosted by NTBG’s excellent facilities for student housing, educational programs, and research, students will be able to learn in the natural laboratories provided by botanical gardens and nature preserves, and some of the richest archaeological sites in Hawai`i.

Student Requirements:

Students will be responsible for their travel arrangements to and from the Los Angeles area (California State University Long Beach). Students must arrive at CSU Long Beach on June 11, 2012. The program ends on July 7, 2012.

Students will be required to enroll in 6 units of Geography 490 – Field Experiences in Geospatial Techniques.  Course tuition and fees will be paid for by the Program. Students will receive a $1000 stipend for their participation in this program and/or additional uncompensated costs related to the summer experience. Note:  All students are expected to be able to bring a recent vintage, full-size (i.e., non-netbook) Windows-based laptop  (Min 4GB RAM, 160 Gb Hard disk, Video card, MS Office 2010), for use during the field program. Please contact us regarding your computer if you have any questions regarding its capabilities.

REU Covered Expenses:

• Housing and Food while in the CSULB dorms
• Housing and food while on Kauai.
• Travel to and from Kauai
• Transportation while on Kauai

An orthophoto created using blimp photography