Project Overview
Water, Agriculture, Food, Energy, Research Nexus (WAFERx)
Website: http://waferx.montana.edu
A regional interdisciplinary team led by Montana State University with the University of Wyoming and University of South Dakota to develop new innovations at the intersection of food, energy and water systems while training the next generation of scientists.
Proposal Title: Sustainable socio-economic, ecological, and technological scenarios for achieving global climate stabilization through negative CO2 emission policies
NSF Abstract:This Research Infrastructure Improvement Track-2 Focused EPSCoR Collaboration (RII Track-2 FEC) award is a collaboration among three institutions in Montana, Wyoming, and South Dakota including Montana State University (MSU), University of Wyoming (UW) and University of South Dakota (USD). The project will focus on developing a framework of CO2 mitigation scenarios that would not create conflicts with food security and production of clean energy. The project will offer novel experimental insights, modeling tools, and technological solutions for improving the resiliency of food security and ecosystem services to global climate policies. The modeling activities and extensive field research is expected to generate new data and findings that will lead to new insights into how biogeochemical modeling, agricultural economics, carbon-capture and sequestration, water and biodiversity research can be used within an integrated framework. The project will leverage existing networks and hubs to integrate new data-streams into the modeling exercises. Through involvement with Tribal Colleges and networking with existing programs with Native American student populations, the project will serve to enhance and diversify the STEM workforce in the participating jurisdictions.