1
Outcomes and Motivations of Student Researchers in a Community-Based Environmental Monitoring Research (CBEMR) Project
Teresa Ellen Thornton, M.S. Ph.D.
AWRA Webinar
July 17, 2024
Recap from June 2024 Presentation
community-based research program
2
Today’s Presentation
3
4
Community, Class, individual projects
all begin the same way
Mandatory project assigned by the teacher
TAKE THEM OUTSIDE!
Find out their passion
STEP 1: Required Assignment
5
Required Assignment: How to Write a Research Project�
6
SIMILAR TO PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
7
Problem identification?
What is happening in your area where you can assist by collecting data?
�Objectives and methodological design?
Are your objectives satisfying the organization you are working alongside?
What are you going to need to perform said data collection?
Equipment? Permission? Seasonal? Alone or a team?
�Data collection
Field data: Weather? Animals? Safety? Manage equipment? Break a leg?
Laboratory experimental: Proper storage and transport? Degradation of samples? What kind of consumables and machines needed?
�Scientific Writing
The goal of scientific writing is publication: White paper for your job? Research paper for your job/education? Who is the audience? Why do I need to communicate my results?
8
A Little More Detailed…
GIVE BACK
9
Research should benefit the community
PRESENT RESULTS AT A PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE
10
Comprehensive list in CV teresathorntonphd.com
Just a Few of the Organizations
11
Recap
12
CBEMR GET WET! PROJECT��Student Outcomes
13
Cooperative Learning
Students as volunteers/vicarious learning
14
Student Participation/Motivation
Altruistic
“… the ability to contribute to other communities and help out other schools “
-12th Grade
Sense of Value/”Real Science”
“Interested in experiment and being a part of something that means something in the science world “
-11th Grade
15
Student Retention
Enjoyment
“Because I loved it the first year!”
-12th Grade
Social
“Really liked it. Everything seemed to be beneficial for me. I got to experience a different group of people, different way of learning, I got to teach them and it was fun for me. “
-11th Grade
16
Learn Something New
“…It’s gathering data…you can see how the problem has progressed over the years [and you can] see if maybe they did something about it or if they are still unaware of what is going on.”
-11th Grade
Leadership Roles
“It was fun teaching other kids how to test their water…[to] get the end result of what contaminated [their] water and [to find] where the mass contamination may be”
-11th Grade
17
Student Retention/Motivation
Effects of Participation: �Additional Water Related Coursework
“Well, in college hopefully I can take more [water] courses”
-12th Grade
“The research I am doing is water but it is also economics and I love that they go they go hand in hand. When I grow up, I want to major in economics, but if I see an opportunity to do economics and something water related I would totally do it”
11th Grade
“Yeah, I can see myself helping out more and possibly bringing the GET WET program to other places such as college and learning more on groundwater”
-12th Grade
18
Effects of Participation: �Professional Groundwater Networks
“Yes. For the second year when we did the PowerPoint I got to talk to management facilitators and I got to talk with them one on one. Feels pretty cool to have started a professional social network. If I have anything related to water , if I do any projects or if I need to know something…”
-11th Grade
“I think, in the sense of my social network, [I feel] I am more knowledgeable and I think I can have a conversation [with professionals] now”
-12th Grade
19
Effects of Participation: � Collaboration Between Schools
“I think at first when we said we have this project for you they weren’t willing to work, but then they realized it was their water they realized these are contaminants that are in MY WATER then they started to care and they were very wiling to cooperate and look at the results /statistics and say, “ WOW this is in my water, this is my health “
-11th Grade
20
“It is better that we are not adults because we can relate to the students more and we are more likely to know what mistakes are likely to occur in whatever experiment you are teaching. They asked me questions and I was able to answer.”
-11th Grade
“Collaborative effort and the people work well together. It is like two different communities coming together. I felt like we were teaching them something as well as them teaching us because we were able to test their groundwater and learn about their stuff”
-12th Grade
21
Effects of Participation:
Collaboration Between Schools
Effects of Participation: �Water Knowledge Gained
“To filter my water!! You can ingest a lot of toxins you don’t know about! “
-11th Grade
“I have learned A LOT I that has made me aware of the water I drink and shower in and cook with!”
-12 Grade
“It has influenced me on many levels because now I am testing my own water and everything in it and it has prompted me to educate others”
-12 Grade
“Yes. I will go somewhere and will kind of want to test [the water]”
22
Effects of Participation: �Water Knowledge Gained
“…when I am drinking something that taste funny [I think] maybe it is this maybe it is that. I know more about systems now. I had no idea septic systems affected your water . I had no idea what a septic system was. I didn't know if we had public water. I did not know that we had to filter it. I didn't know water bottles were bad. I didn't know any of that.”
-11th Grade
“Oh yes! I am much more careful where I shower and what I shower in , what I would swim in, everything! What I would drink. “
-12th Grade
23
How Can Communities Improve How they Address Their Groundwater Issues?
24
“Get involved, actually test their systems, test their water, and take the initiative to do something about it. Don’t just leave it” | “Educate the population better on the issues” | “I think we are helping that issue and they could notice where … they need to be careful [of land use]” | “I don't think they know that they have issues” |
11th and 12th Grade Students
Effects of Participation
25
Additional Work Post Participation in CBEMR (n=30) | ||
47% | | Began Independent Water Research |
65% | | Signed up for Additional Water Courses |
78% | | Females that signed up for additional water related courses |
62% | | Males that signed up for additional water related courses |
CBEMR INDEPENDENT PROJECT��Student Outcomes�
26
ADULTS RESPECT THEIR WORK
27
AWRA
SWFLWRA
USFWS
USFWR
EERA
City of Lake Worth
City of Ft Lauderdale
FAU
FIU
Columbia University
Grassy Waters Preserve
Many, many others…
Remember that organizations are made up of people. It is the PEOPLE in these organizations that make this happen
Effects of Participation: �What do you feel you have earned from your project
Working with other peer scientists has enlightened me and expanded my imagination for ways to do data collection, and given me a sense of security in knowing that I can confide in others for professional advice.
-11th Grade
I’ve earned an increased sense of responsibility for the environment and of my research.
-10th Grade
A sense of independence and a firsthand understanding of how complex conducting an experiment really is.
-12th Grade
Experience in writing a paper as well as understanding what field work is like. In addition, it allowed me to attend the conference which helped me in terms of presenting and also introducing me to professionals who are presently working in environmental.
-9th Grade
28
Citizenship
A sense of pride that I am making a difference even if it is small. I have become part of assisting bigger than me and that gives [me] motivation to continue. -9th Grade
Personally, I feel like I'm part of something, of creating a better world by educating others. Professionally, it has made me focus on more of what I want to go into as a career.
-12th Grade
I now feel more involved in my community, and more in tune with the issues surrounding it.
-11th Grade
29
Effects of Participation: �What do you feel you have earned from your project
Dylan Gresch
Quantification of Human Waste In Surface Waters Affected by Rainfall, Jupiter Farms, Florida 2nd Place
30
Effects of Participation: �Community Engagement
I realized how little it takes for a community to become involved. It doesn’t have to be some expansive study, it can be as simple as filling up two bottles and bringing them to school. This has allowed me to convince others (including my own family) to get involved because, most of the time, helping out in the littlest ways make the biggest differences. -11th Grade
If I were to do another research project in the future or assist someone in creating their research project, I would almost certainly find a way to integrate the community in my methodology (depending the related issue) and strongly recommend my fellow scientist(s) to do the same.
-12th Grade
31
Lucia Johnson
-10thGrade
Quantifying the Town of Jupiter Oyster Reef Ball Program: The Success of Eastern Florida Oyster Growth and Water Chemistry
32
Effects of Participation: �Professional Conference
Prior to these conferences I was only aware of minor water issues in my local area. Now, I understand the true scope and complexity of water related issues throughout the country. -12th Grade
I’ve loved the opportunity to discuss water-related careers with those actually in those fields and I also loved the experience I got presenting in front of an audience (I was never great at public speaking but these conferences helped give me good practice). -11th Grade
I enjoyed my experiences at several professional conferences; they gave me insight to how the professional world works and how environmental professionals present their findings or community works.
-12th Grade
33
Connor Opton�11th Grade�Quantification of Ibuprofen, a Human Fecal Marker, in Southeastern Florida,�2018-2024.
34
CBEMR INDEPENDENT PROJECT��HISTORIC�Student Outcomes�
35
Effects of Participation: �CBEMR 10 Years Later
My research with Dr. Thornton gave me experience, but most of all, passion, for research. This passion followed me through college, where I majored in environmental science, and was a part of several research projects, as well as some I led on my own (one of which I presented at the American Geophysical Union conference in 2022!). All of this work led me to my current job as an associate data scientist for a non profit focused on soil carbon inventorying. In my current position, I get to apply the skills I started building all the way back in high school everyday, and am constantly continuing to improve them. I work on independent research for my organization - and I even mentor undergraduate students with their own independent research, just as I was mentored!
36
Effects of Participation: CBEMR 10 Years Later CAREER
Doing this project helped me develop a strong foundation in technical writing that helped me immensely in college and beyond. It instilled a sense of pride in me after I completed it, and solidified my decision to pursue environmental science as a career.
-------------------------
Working on a research project in high school helped me realize what I wanted to do with my career. I loved the process, and wanted to be able to continue participating in not just research in general, but field research specifically. I also came to love the data science side of research in college when I worked on interpreting my results, which led me to my current position as associate data scientist at TSIP (The Soil Inventory Project). I have several research projects I work on at any given time, whether I'm leading, assisting, or even mentoring!
--------------------------
I’ve gained lots of connections with very knowledgeable people and had made me excited to continue my career in research/conservation
---------------------------
My participation also helped me learn the more technical aspects of water related issues which has led me through my career.
37
Effects of Participation: CBEMR 10 Years Later PASSION
I found a great passion for community education and finding ways to ensure the public is able to access and digest research results!
-----------------------
Absolutely! Research has been a strong focal point in my life since high school. I worked in a lab throughout college and worked in clinical research for 2.5 years after college. Now in medical school, I can't wait to get back to doing research and plan to have a career as a physician highly involved in both basic science and clinical research
-------------------------
I have a much greater understanding of the impacts things like groundwater can have on the community. Gaining this understanding in high school helped me gain perspective on everything I learned college and graduate school.
38
Effects of Participation: 10 Years Later� COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
My personal research project was focused on a pest species of moth, but many of my classmates were performing research on water quality and other water related issues, so I learned through them by proxy! In college, I ended up leading a research project investigating the effects of combined sewer overflows on water quality in the Hudson River, so I guess it rubbed off on me!
------------------------------
Opened my eyes to a lot of public health concerns surrounding water contamination. There's a great deal of research to be done in this area!
-------------------------------
I learned the importance of ensuring community education is engaging and finding ways to relate to community members. They are more likely to care about the topic if they can see how it directly impacts them!
------------------------------
GET WET has taught me that the community itself is a great asset when it comes to research and gathering large amounts of data.
---------------------------
… as I’ve continued my education and started my career, I become more and more aware that science matters more when the community is involved and understands the implications of the study.
39
Effects of Participation: 10 Years Later� PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE
I was able to present my work at the Entomological Society of America's 2017 conference, as a junior in high school, which was hugely beneficial for my scientific career. The experience it gave me helped me prepare for later conferences that I attended in college, and the work I did provided me with knowledge on the process of a scientific study - from design, to paper, to poster - that gave me a leg up in college.
------------------------
Having participated in several professional conferences prior to college definitely gave me a leg up when applying for lab openings in college
--------------------------
Pretty sure it was the only reason I got into UF.
40
Corey Beckford, Ph.D. Candidate�Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Scholar��Area of interest:�Environmental Aesthetics: The value of natural beauty in an artificially created environment
41
��Isabella Bergonzoli Jamarillo�Mergers and Acquisitions Attorney�NY & FL��
42
Student Participation in Conference Level Research
43
Students were asked, "Now that you have participated in a project, how willing are you to:" | Responses** |
Major in a water/environmental related discipline | 88.88% |
Take more courses related to water/environmental issues | 88.89% |
Continue to do field research in the future | 100% |
Encourage others to participate in a research project | 100% |
Work with a community to help solve their issues | 100% |
Become more involved in community water/environmental issues | 100% |
Encourage others to participate in water/environmental issues | 100% |
**Responses of Extremely Likely & Likely were merged | |
Summary Student Motivations:� GET WET! Project
44
Summary Student Motivations�CBEMR Independent Project
All of the previous motivations and MORE:
45
Questions?
46
THANK YOU!