GOLDEN, Colo., March 6, 2015 – Colorado School of Mines Civil and Environmental Engineering Assistant Professor Kathleen Smits has received a 2015 NSF CAREER Award. The grant will support her research, “Advancing the science and education of land surface-atmosphere interactions: Interweaving multiscale experimental and modeling approaches for Land Surface Models (LSM) and experiential learning.”

LSMs are numerical models used to simulate processes at the surface and the subsurface and their feedbacks to the atmosphere. They are used in part, for climate change predictions. The goal of Smits’ research is to advance the understanding and modeling of mass and energy exchange at the land-atmosphere interface over a wide range of scales, and ultimately improve LSMs that are utilized in global climate prediction.

The study will create an educational framework for engaging minority middle school students in STEM fields. Focusing on the integrating theme of water and climate, this research will help students make the link between STEM they learn in the classroom and environmental water resource problems in their own backyards, motivating and preparing students to pursue college studies and ultimately careers in STEM fields.

Learn more about Smits research on the NSF website.

The NSF CAREER award is the most prestigious award in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.

Contact:

Kathleen Morton, Communications Coordinator / 303-273-3088 / kmorton@mines.edu
Karen Gilbert, Director of Public Relations / 303-273-3541 / kgilbert@mines.edu