Undergraduates at Simmons College have investigated a number of environmentally focused research problems as an integral part of the overall chemistry curriculum that includes freshman introductory chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, and senior independent thesis topics. The integration of authentic research problems into the teaching laboratory not only teaches proper scientific methods and protocols, but also provides the opportunity for the use a range of analytical equipment - including x-ray fluorescence, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, fluorimetry, HPLC, and UV-VIS spectroscopy.<br/><br/>This talk assesses the student experience of a variety of environmentally based integrated teaching projects; such as characterizing sediment contamination from various locations of the Emerald Necklace in Boston, Massachusetts, determining the translocation of metals in the invasive species <i>phragmites australis</i>, analyzing coal and coal ash for heavy metals and PAHs, analysis of compost and urban gardening soil supplied by community partners, evaluating student-supplied biosorbents for the cleanup of contaminated drinking water, assessing the health risks from contaminants in brewed tea, and optimizing lead phytoremediation in urban soils.

Integration of environmental research into the teaching laboratory

254th National Meeting (2017)

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