Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research (CAESER)
Faculty Mentor: Brian Waldron
Faculty Mentor's Department: CAESER
Contact Information: (901) 678-5110; bwaldron@memphis.edu
Project Description: Expand environmental database into West Tennessee. The Center for Applied Earth Science
and Engineering Research serves as a resource to the Mid-South community as a water,
GIS, transportation, and education outreach research center. Faculty, staff, and students
at CAESER conduct contaminant source inventories annually to identify potential contaminant
sources to our drinking water. This effort has primarily been focused in Shelby County
and we now look to expand our knowledge of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
and Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) regulated facilities
in West Tennessee to identify potential risks to groundwater resources in the recharge
zone. A student researcher is needed to compile additional USEPA/TDEC datasets and
identify potential areas of concern. Research will involve locating the appropriate
data sources and research facility information and contamination issues. Previous
experience with GIS or environmental data is not required, as CAESER faculty and staff
will teach the student the needed skills. This position is open to students from any
major who have an interest in water quality or environmental fields. The work can
be done remotely.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Completed at least one semester of coursework with GPA of 3.0 or higher; Can be any major
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Unofficial Transcript
Hours: 10 - 15
Start Date: ASAP
Method of Compensation: Volunteer
Faculty Mentor: Brian Waldron
Faculty Mentor's Department: CAESER
Contact Information: (901) 678-5110; bwaldron@memphis.edu
Project Description: Learn research field methods in water resources. The Center for Applied Earth Science
and Engineering Research serves as a resource to the Mid-South community as a water,
GIS, transportation, and education outreach research center. Faculty, staff, and students
at CAESER are committed to applied research. We conduct fieldwork on a daily basis
using various methods to determine water quality and quantity and subsurface structure
to help assess the health of our water resources in the area. A student researcher
is needed to assist with ongoing research to learn: (1) common field methods used
to collect water data and (2) how and why researchers select their methods to help
answer the question at hand. Previous experience is not required, as CAESER faculty
and staff will teach the student the needed skills. This position is open to students
from any major who have an interest in water quality or environmental fields. The
work will be a mix of remote and fieldwork. Health and Safety protocols will be applied.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Completed at least one semester of coursework with GPA of 3.0 or higher; Can be any
major
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Unofficial Transcript
Hours: 10 - 15
Start Date: ASAP
Method of Compensation: Volunteer
Faculty Mentor: Brian Waldron
Faculty Mentor's Department: CAESER
Contact Information: (901) 678-5110; bwaldron@memphis.edu
Project Description: Designing an Education Campaign to Create a Water Literate Citizenry: Assist professional
staff and faculty at the Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering Research
(CAESER) in the development of a public education campaign for Shelby County about
our water resources. A countywide survey is currently in distribution to gather information
on attitudes, beliefs, and knowledge of groundwater and surface water resources in
Shelby County, Tennessee. This survey will reach a representative sample to 2,000
households. The undergraduate research assistant would research relevant and reliable
examples of public education campaigns including published data and research on its
effectiveness. Throughout the research, identify key components of public education
campaign that lead to compelling messages for the diverse residents of our county.
Based on the survey questions, determine areas that can be further explored by the
creation of research focus groups to refine messages that will be easily understood
by the public. This position will be able to work remotely and expect to research
topics independently with a weekly report of findings to meet with the team at CAESER.
This position will work for an average of 10 hours per week.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Completed at least one semester of coursework with GPA of 3.0 or higher; Can be any
major
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Cover Letter, Unofficial Transcript
Hours: 10 - 15
Start Date: ASAP
Faculty Mentor: Brian Waldron
Faculty Mentor's Department: CAESER
Contact Information: (901) 678-5110; bwaldron@memphis.edu
Project Description: Develop Grant Opportunities for Water Education: Build your grant research and writing
skills, an invaluable talent to anyone looking to work in the nonprofit or academic
sectors. Work with professional staff and faculty at the Center for Applied Earth
Science and Engineering Research (CAESER) to identify sources of funding for a growth
education and outreach program focused on the long-term sustainability of our water
resources by creating a water literate citizenship. Programs are geared towards K-12
students, but also expand into adult audiences. The undergraduate research assistant
would research foundations and governmental agencies that support our research and
education goals, report on the application requirements and submission cycles. The
student research would also help to develop the storyline and other documents to gain
real world experience in the art of grant writing that will positively impact West
Tennessee now and into the future. This position will work for an average of 10 hours
per week.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Completed at least one semester of coursework with GPA of 3.0 or higher; Can be any
major
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Cover Letter, Unofficial Transcript
Hours: 10 - 15
Start Date: ASAP
Faculty Mentor: Brian Waldron
Faculty Mentor's Department: CAESER
Contact Information: (901) 678-5110; bwaldron@memphis.edu
Project Description: Create Geographic Data Repository. The Center for Applied Earth Science and Engineering
Research serves as a resource to the Mid-South community through creating, managing,
analyzing, and hosting geographic data. Faculty, staff, and students at CAESER use
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to work with these geographic data. Many of these
datasets that are used across multiple projects are stored in a geoportal, both for
internal use as well as for the public. These would include datasets related to the
environment (e.g., streams and rivers); political boundaries (e.g., municipalities,
counties, council districts); and infrastructure (e.g., roads, railroads), among others,
that are used as the basis for any type of geographic analysis or research. A student
researcher is needed to compile additional geographic datasets, as well as improving
the existing datasets. Research will involve locating the appropriate data sources,
and attributing the data, along with applying geoprocessing tools where necessary.
Previous experience with GIS is not required, as CAESER faculty and staff will teach
the student the needed skills. This position is open to students from any major who
have an interest in geography or GIS. The work can be done remotely.
Requirements for Student Applicants: Completed at least one semester of coursework with GPA of 3.0 or higher; Can be any
major
Application or Interview Process: Resume, Unofficial Transcript
Hours: 10 - 15
Start Date: ASAP