ADDRESSING LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES WITH UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

Undergraduate research is a valuable component of a student’s education. Many students seek out opportunities to examine local environmental issues firsthand, and in the process, collect data that may be useful to the community. Students in my research group typically perform research either as a directed study or in an upper level course (e.g., environmental geochemistry). Each is required to complete a literature search, prepare a grant proposal, collect and analyze samples, interpret data, and present this research at a departmental seminar, university symposium, and/or national/regional meeting. Critical to this research is student access to the necessary field and laboratory equipment (in this case, pH and temperature meters, equipment for alkalinity titration, and an ICP-OES for metal analysis).

Recent student projects include the investigation of natural sources of arsenic to a homeowner’s private well, spatial and temporal changes in water composition along a local river, plant and soil uptake of trace metals from storm water, and heavy metals in lakes contaminated by historical mining practices. These studies can provide useful information for individual homeowners, local agencies, and city/county planners as well as collect preliminary data for future faculty- or student-driven research. In return, the students benefit by learning to communicate science effectively and work with local professionals – preparing them for successful, future employment. This experience often ignites students’ interest in graduate school, or solidifies their decision to attend. Students, faculty, future employers, and local communities all profit from undergraduate research.