MARCH 7, 2005

Mesa State College Awarded National Science Foundation Grant

Grand Junction, Colo.-The National Science Foundation's Earth Sciences Directorate recently awarded the Mesa State College geology program a $362,586 grant to fund undergraduate research projects in western Colorado.

"This is one of only a very few Research Experiences for Undergraduates grants awarded by the Earth Sciences Directorate in 2005 to an undergraduate institution," said Dr. Andres Aslan, associate professor of geology. "Most of the REU grants in the geosciences are awarded to large research institutions. To have our project funded after our first grant submission is quite an honor, especially considering that we were chosen from a very competitive national field."

The grant will be used to fund 12 undergraduate students' field research for the next three years, and will also allow the students to participate in several professional geology meetings, including the upcoming Geological Society of America Rocky Mountain Section meeting that will be hosted by the Mesa State College geology program from May 23-25.

The participating students will be chosen from a national field of applicants and will spend eight weeks, May 17 through July 13, working with Mesa State geology faculty members Andres Aslan, Rex Cole, Larry Jones and Verner Johnson. All the research projects will focus on landscape evolution in western Colorado. Specific projects in 2005 will look at the erosional history of the Grand Valley, the long-term evolution of the Colorado and Gunnison Rivers and how arroyos form.

"Since the time of John Wesley Powell, geologists have puzzled over the origins of the spectacular landscapes of the Colorado Plateau and Rocky Mountains, and each year many geologists and students come to this area to learn about its history" said Professor Aslan. "We hope that our project participants have a career-altering experience and become inspired to pursue geology or one of the other sciences. We want them to come away with an appreciation for the geology of this unique region, and we want to get them excited about research and the role it plays in enriching and shaping their lives."

Freshman, sophomore or junior geology and earth science students are eligible to apply for the program. Selected participants will receive a $2,400 stipend, paid housing, meal allowance, travel expenses and professional conference allowance. Interested students should apply for this year's project on-line at www.mesastate.edu/nsfreu before March 25. Applicants will be notified of selection by April 1.

For more information, contact Dr. Andres Aslan, associate professor of geology, at 970.248.1614 or aaslan@mesastate.edu.

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