ABSTRACT

The Centers of Research Excellence in Science and Technology program supports the enhancement of research capabilities of minority-serving institutions through the establishment of centers that effectively integrate education and research. With National Science Foundation support, the University of New Mexico will build on the accomplishments of their Phase I Center for Water and the Environment by expanding and redirecting water-related research with new research questions, new partnership institutions, and an emphasis on recruiting and retaining Native American students. Objectives of the Phase II Center for Water and the Environment are to (1) conduct innovative research on technological solutions to problems with water and the environment, (2) increase the participation of underrepresented groups in science and engineering professions, and (3) build institutional capacity for water-related research at the University of New Mexico. The Phase II Center will generate knowledge about the availability, management, and treatment of water in arid environments. The Center has three interrelated subprojects that focus on hydrologic processes in watersheds, water quality and treatment, and coupled water-energy interactions. The unifying research theme that connects these subprojects is the protection and restoration of water quality for downstream and rural communities.

The Watersheds and Wildfires subproject investigates the temporal and spatial variability in the quantity and quality of water as it moves through the watershed following a wildfire. The Treatment Technologies subproject investigates the removal of contaminants such as nutrients and emerging contaminants from natural waters and wastewaters using biofilms and membranes as well as how small communities can overcome barriers to reuse. The Water and Energy subproject investigates the environmental impacts of energy generation and consumption, including the effects of mining legacy on Native American communities, the mechanisms by which hydraulic fracturing can contribute to groundwater contamination, and the complex dynamics between energy development, natural resource protection, and community development.

While retaining attention on Hispanic Americans, the Center for Water and the Environment will increase Native American participation in science and engineering professions by partnering with several Native American-focused organizations to conduct outreach. The Center will address problems with water and the environment, which are broad societal concerns that affect public health and economic development, particularly in the arid southwestern US. Center research will benefit communities across the globe by developing technologies and strategies for managing water in arid regions.

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.

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