Empowering Change: Addressing Water Quality Challenges through Undergraduate Research

What experiences did you have as an undergraduate in research? And no, I am not thinking about the final projects that we did in courses. Who took a chance on mentoring, training, and/or engaging with you? Many articles have been published that discuss all the benefits, challenges, and engagements that occur during this opportunity to perform research as an undergraduate student. In the past few years, my position has allowed me to work with the undergraduate students, starting in the Environmental Technology and Management Program and now across the campus, in the realm of water quality. In almost three years, my engagement has gone from two students to over twenty students. Yes, I am that person who will take a chance. 

Coming from a chemistry background to the environmental side was a scary transition for me. However, the zeal of the students to take on water quality issues and to continuously seek solutions kindled a passion in me. The “team”, as we call us, has the passion to gain research skills that do not take several hours to train or to perform outside the classroom. The students do not only experience urban or pollution problems within our environment, but they interact with the community. Research from the effects of growing urbanization near Schenck Forest to the impacts of pollution in Southeast Raleigh guides the team to explore solutions in physical, chemical, and bacterial parameters that influence the quality of our waterways. 

Over the years, I aim to establish a training program that will continue connections between undergraduate students and their involvement in research by addressing water quality issues. The program allows students to learn research skills while providing environmental surveillance data to the community to aid in decision – making. This program focuses on undergraduate experience in research while not limiting participants based on GPA or past experiences. Students are trained in  interpreting scientific literature, sampling in the field, laboratory analysis of water samples, critical thinking, and communicating scientifically. Our studies have been designed in response to community – defined inquiries. It has been asked that we be more inclusive and expand to other environmental challenges such as soil and air. Thus the idea is cultivating new avenues, as we grow in encouraging undergraduate students to achieve research skills.