THE RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES ON SUSTAINABLE LAND AND WATER RESOURCES--UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH INCORPORATING COMMUNITY-BASED RESEARCH

The Research Experience for Undergraduates Site on Sustainable Land and Water Resources engages 9 students each year in Community-based Participatory Research (CBPR) projects that take place on two different Native American reservations, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) of the Flathead Reservation in Montana and the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa in northern Minnesota. Participants work on research projects combining geosciences and sustainability which are relevant to the needs of these communities and co-developed with resource managers from the reservations. Participants work on ethnically and culturally diverse multidisciplinary teams. Each year, the projects are developed in advance of the participants' arrival on site, but starting with their orientation, participants are immersed in CBPR research and ethical practices necessary for working in collaboration with tribes. Participants report increased engagement from working on projects related to sustainability that directly impact communities.