REU Site: Climate, Air Quality, and Urban Systems Research at The Pennsylvania State University

The impacts of anthropogenic climate change are becoming increasingly apparent with sea-level rise and increases in the number of extreme weather-related events, such as floods, wildfires, droughts and storms. An interdisciplinary approach to solving the complex interconnections of the atmosphere, oceans, and land is needed. Urban systems also play an important role, as approximately 80% of the U.S. population live in cities, and cities are especially prone to negative effects of climate change, such as heat stress, air pollution, and flooding.

Disadvantaged communities are more at risk to effects of climate change because of infrastructure inequities.

The Climate, Air Quality, and Urban Systems Research Experience for Undergraduates program at Penn State will provide participants with internship projects on research topics that will address climate resiliency and environmental justice, train the students in the pursuit of the scientific method, and inspire them to pursue research as a career. Students will choose to work with one or more leading climate science researchers who have designed a clear and concise research project with achievable goals.

The program mentors are world-renowned researchers in the following areas related to climate science: impacts (wildfires, forests, health, and water quality), measurement systems (in-situ greenhouse gasses, energy balance, and remote sensing), air quality, urban systems, hydrological modeling, oceanography, building energy solutions, data assimilation, cloud processes, radar meteorology and climate communication. The program is a complete, summer-long immersion in the research process complemented with weekly activities to enhance students' professional development through workshops and seminars on science communication, graduate school, and career opportunities.

Students will report their research in the form of a peer-reviewed journal article, a conference-style poster, and a short (2-3 minute) oral presentation. Students will be encouraged to present research at national meetings and produce peer-reviewed publications. The program will accommodate 15 students each year, targeting women, minorities, and students from institutions outside of those with the highest research activity, as these constituencies are underrepresented in climate science.

The program will provide students with sufficient knowledge so that they not only contribute to solving societally relevant scientific problems but also to the improvement of scientific literacy within academia and throughout our educational systems and society at large.

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.