Black Rock Desert National Conservation Area Mobile Field Station. 'Field Stations are an exciting solution to the problem of university field education being at risk,' Ecology, Biology#World_University_and_School_Links - http://worlduniversity.wikia.com/wiki/Biology#World_University_and_School_Links, Evolutionary_Biology, Conservation, and Environment, wiki, subject pages at WUaS

Scott

Good evening. 

I enjoyed making your acquaintance last night.  I was so impressed how well spoken and thoughtful all those kids are for there age. I couldn't even imagine getting up in front of a group to publicly speak at their age.

During our conversation, I shared with you the work that I've been doing for several years now with a Mobile Field Station in the Black Rock Desert National Conservation Area. Field Stations are an exciting solution to the problem of university field education being at risk. As you may know, all throughout the US these Stations are hosting students and researchers whom are providing invaluable data to the various land management agencies to make informed decisions.

The Mobile Field Station model servicing the Black Rock Desert National Conservation Area is especially exciting since it has the potential to be replicated throughout the remote lands of the west. (gbmfs.org) Both myself, and the BLM district manager who secured funding for the Station in 2010 shared this vision.

Despite his absence since 2010, positive actions continue to occur which include the writing of an assistance agreement with the first academic partner, purchase of an additional yurt and the initiation of a new website. All these are positive steps but unfortunately high turnover with BLM personnel and heavy workload has caused this project to lose direction and bog down.

As a solution to this problem, I began this winter to inquire as to whether a committee of past Station users could be formed. The purpose of the committee will be to offer assistance to the BLM with the Station's development, conduct outreach about the importance of field stations, seek out creative funding sources and most importantly work on a development plan to implement a network of Mobile Field Stations throughout the West.

Besides contacting past users about the formation of a committee , I am letting it be known to individuals and organizations that I'm associated with in the EE community, that either volunteer or advisory positions with the committee may be available in the future.  A tremendous opportunity exists to establish a network of Stations due to the fact that the BLM has made a financial commitment to the Field Station. To let this opportunity pass-by would be a major loss to the public lands mission to support research and education.

Scott, please do contact me if you would like to learn more about the Mobile Field Station and do forward this letter to colleagues or friends who may have an interest in this project.  I did check out your website for World University.  With the trend in education moving towards the online classroom, I'm sure there will be much interest for the work that you are doing. 

 

Happy Memorial Day Weekend,

Jeff Gillarde