Nevada is a leader in arid ecosystem and subsurface science research using strong teams of researchers at UNLV, UNR, and DRI. Thus SEPHAS brings to Nevada a meso-scale research facility to further bridge existing eco-scale and laboratory (down to nano-scale) research efforts, giving Nevada unique capacity to address many basic scientific questions and address practical problems unique to Nevada and other arid and semi-arid states in the southwest.

The SEPHAS Project will construct and operate large scale outdoor lysimeters, integrate computation and visual technology with experimental research, collaborate on research proposals, and maximize educational benefits through K-12 educational outreach, development of student involvement, and faculty and research training and mentorship for post-doctorate fellows.

This facility will have the ability to uniquely address a broad spectrum of important processes and questions related to the role of physical heterogeneity and scaling in subsurface sciences including plant root/water retention interaction, thermal, solute gas and colloidal transport, and microbially-coupled geochemical processes. This facility located close to two UCCSN Campuses, will provide a competitive edge to scientists competing for funding across a broadly defined spectrum of geosciences research, and become an excellent educational tool for future Nevada scientists.