ENVIRONMENTAL INSTITUTE

"In particular, the Institute will focus on research, policy development, conflict resolution, and problem solving within the scope of environmental concerns within Oklahoma."

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The Environmental Institute was established by OSU to serve as a coordinating center for the stimulation and promotion of interdisciplinary research, graduate education, and public education related to understanding, utilizing, and sustaining the natural environment. To achieve this goal, the Institute has set four objectives: to promote basic and applied research on scientific, engineering, social, and behavioral aspects of environmental resources and practices; to develop new areas of opportunity in the environmental arena; to maintain and expand the comprehensive graduate educational program in environmental sciences; and to act as a source of information concerning environmental research opportunities, results, and applications.

The Institute acts as an administrative umbrella for activities of the University Center for Energy Research (UCER), the University Center for Water Research (UCWR), the Environmental Sciences Graduate Program, the Spatial and Environmental Clearinghouse (SEIC), and the Center for Environmental Dispute Management and Communication (CEDMAC). This relationship is illustrated in Figure 1. The Institute operates under a lean matrix management style, drawing expertise as needed from over 150 faculty with established research or research interests in engineering, the natural and applied sciences, and the social sciences.

Research

University Center for Energy Research

Energy exploration, production, and usage has been inextricably tied to the economic health of the United States for the past 75 years. This is even more evident in Oklahoma and the surrounding states where enormous fluctuations in prosperity have occurred as the price and availability of energy resources have oscillated. The University Center for Energy Research (UCER) was established by the State of Oklahoma to provide a multi-disciplinary base to address the complex problems in the field of energy research.

UCER supports energy-related research programs and encourages the organization of inter-disciplinary activities. Proposals for funding are submitted to UCER in March of each year. The proposals undergo a peer review process with final selection of projects to be funded made by the Director and the Advisory Committee. An important objective of UCER is the support of new faculty and new and/or innovative research. Funding from UCER is often used as an initiative. This initiative enables faculty to develop a sound knowledge base in their research areas, which will enable them to generate additional funding within two or three years. The projects support students, post-doctoral research associates, and the procurement of state-of-the-art equipment.

In fiscal year 1995, UCER supported three projects, which involved three departments of the university. Research topics included the following: an interdisciplinary program of experimental and theoretical research to develop and advance energy efficient methods of low pressure diamond synthesis for industrial applications; an investigation of the physiological and molecular genetic characterization of a marine cyanobacterium under iron and light stress; examination of a possible new mechanism for high temperature superconductor.

University Center for Water Research

Water resources and water-related issues are frequent media topics. In local communities, regional and state jurisdictions, and national and international arenas, considerable attention is focused on quality water in sufficient quantities to meet the demands of affected populations. And, as with any natural resource, decisions are inextricably linked to public opinion, environmental impact, economic development, and population growth. At OSU, the University Center for Water Research (UCWR) has been studying water issues and providing solutions to water problems for many years. With the philosophy that clean water of adequate quantity and quality is essential to the physical and economic health of individuals, communities, and nations, UCWR strives to provide funding and information for researchers and information and management protocols for decision makers.

UCWR is responsible for the administration of the Oklahoma Water Resources Research Institute (OWRRI) and the Water Research Center (WRC), developed as a Òcenter of excellenceÓ by the State of Oklahoma. This combination of responsibilities provides UCWR with the opportunity to coordinate the UniversityÕs research programs with outside agencies such as the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, the U.S. Geological Survey, the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality, the Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory, the other 53 water resources research institutes throughout the country, and other state and federal agencies involved in water resources research and management programs. This interaction provides a broad base of knowledge and experience from which new research projects evolve, and it allows UCWR to maximize its available resources.

Research projects funded by UCWR via the two administrative entities in FY 1995 are as follows: development of a general methodology for identifying industrial process modifications to reduce waste in wastewater; identification of within field fertility variability of farm lands using Landsat imagery; an investigation of the degradation by nitrifying microbial cultures of chlorinated aliphatics in the presence of heavy metals; development of a model for a state-wide geographic information system (GIS); collection of basic information about the mechanisms of nitrogen cycling during conversion of rangeland to grass with herbicide and fire; spectroscopic characterization of the interaction of heavy metals with adsorptive phases of soils and sediments; development of the cotton rat as a biomonitor of trinitrotoluene contamination; photo-remediation of organic contaminated water; continuation of the development of behavioral biomonitoring using Daphnia; investigation of the use of Oklahoma mesonet data and a biosphere-atmosphere model to estimate soil moisture and evaporation; biological validation of watershed-scale models for non-point source nutrient loading; an assessment of the potential impact of the Franco-American Charolaise v. Oklahoma Water Resources Board Oklahoma Supreme Court decision on each of the major sectors of water users in Oklahoma; an evaluation of the accuracy of hydrologic/water quality models; analysis of the risk of non-point pollution of ground water in Oklahoma by pesticides; examination of the bioavailability of pesticides for biotransformation in soil.

Education

Environmental Sciences Graduate Program

The Environmental Institute is also administratively responsible for the Environmental Sciences Graduate Program at OSU. This program provides graduate students with an opportunity to conduct master's (M.S.) or doctoral (Ph.D.) level research that is multidisciplinary in nature. The program capitalizes on the strengths of the Environmental Institute, which are water resources, renewable natural resources, environmental education, environmental policy and conflict management, and energy; the program can be designed to fit an individual's needs. In the past, the term "environmental science" held little appeal for employers. Now, the relationships between long-term economic vitality, resource availability, and ecological integrity have become more widely recognized. Current economic development is being increasingly directed toward the concepts of sustainable development and total ecosystem management. This has resulted in a job market that exhibits an enlightened view of the necessity for those with skills in environmental science.

Presidential Fellowships for Water, Energy, and Environment

The Environmental Institute also funds the Presidential Fellowships for Water, Energy, and Environment. This program encourages nationally competitive graduate students to pursue advanced degrees in various disciplines at OSU. In 1995, the Fellowship program supported eight students in five different disciplines. Fellowship recipients have made, and continue to make, important contributions to the literature and knowledge base of environmental research.

Service

Spatial and Environmental Information Clearinghouse

The Spatial and Environmental Information Clearinghouse (SEIC) is a new effort of the Environmental Institute initiated in FY 94.

The primary goal of SEIC is to create a user friendly way to facilitate access to local (Oklahoma) and world-wide geospatial data sets. User interfaces will include World Wide Web, WAIS, and Gopher. The basic design for the Web server will provide both textual and graphic searches. Additionally, a WAIS server program from the USGS will be integrated into the Web server.

Center for Environmental Dispute Management and Communication

The Environmental Institute has recently assumed sponsorship of Early Settlement Program for North Oklahoma. The program will act as a vehicle for the expansion and further development of statewide conflict resolution services for environmental issues and concerns. In particular, the Institute will focus on research, policy development, conflict resolution, and problem solving within the scope of environmental concerns within Oklahoma.

Information Transfer

The Environmental Institute is involved in a number of other information transfer activities that promote and enhance environmental research efforts. The UCWR newsletter, Waterfax, provides a mechanism for communicating the activities of water researchers at OSU, current events in water research, and items of interest to those involved with water resources. Additionally, the Environmental Institute publishes a listing of Technical Reports and Publications resulting from sponsored research.

The Environmental Institute uses conferences and meetings as another means of coordinating water research efforts and transferring information. The Institute is also active in a number of state and national organizations including the InterAmerican Dialogue on Water Management, the Interstate Council on Water Policy, the Oklahoma Interagency Water Quality Committee, and the GovernorÕs Council on Environmental Quality.

The Institute also functions as a contact in Oklahoma for current research information. Through continued communication with state and federal agency administrators, legislators, and scientists in academia and the private sector, the Environmental Institute disseminates information essential to sound environmental management.

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