CandiceJ.Foley,Ph.D.SuffolkCountyCommunityCollege

SCCC-HelmsleyTeam:MargaretAltizer,NatalieNiemann,NinaLeonhardt,SeanTvelia,PeterMaritato,SharadhaSambasivan,TroyTucker,ElaineMerenda-NIHIRACDACAPSScholars:DominiqueWilliams,AngelaMigues

2018NCSCEScience&EngineeringforSocialGoodFebruary9-11,2018-GeorgiaTechUniversity

TheImpactofSepticSystemsonLongIsland’sAquifer:ACitizenScienceInterdisciplinaryStudy

•  NationalScienceFoundationScholarshipsforScience,Technology,Engineering,andMathematics(NSF-S-STEM)

•  NationalScienceFoundationSFLouisStokesAlliancesforMinorityParticipation(NSF-LSAMP)

•  HarryandLeonaHelmsleyCharitableTrustNYProject•  ScienceEducationforNewCivicEngagementsandResponsibilities(NSF-

SENCER)andtheNationalCenterforScienceandCivicEngagement(NCSCE)

•  InstitutionalResearchandAcademicCareerDevelopmentAwards-NewYorkConsortiumfortheAdvancementofPostdoctoralScholars(NIHIRACDA-NYCAPS)

•  NationalScienceFoundationAdvancedTechnologicalEducation(NSF-ATE)

•  NationalScienceFoundationImprovingUndergraduateSTEMEducation(NSFi-USE)

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PartnershipsandCollaborationsviaGrant-FundedInitiatives

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SENCER-NYPHelmsleyProjectatSuffolkCountyCommunityCollege

•  Focus:IssuesaffectingLongIsland'swatersupplyandquality.•  Drinkingwaterisdrawnfromasole-sourceaquifer

•  Primarymeansofwastedisposalisthroughindividualcesspools/septictanksparticularlyinSuffolkCounty

•  Formedinterdisciplinarycitizensciencelearningcommunity.•  Chargedwithexploringandinvestigatingtheimpactofsepticsystemsonour

LIwatersupplythroughthelensoffourcourses:chemistry,journalism,engineeringscienceandconstructiontechnology.

•  Classesexploredtheissuewithineachoftheirclassesandexchange,shareresources,andaggregatethisinformationutilizingBlackboardasacentralcommunicationstool.

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SENCER-NYPHelmsleyProjectatSuffolkCountyCommunityCollege

•  Groundwaterexperts,localpoliticiansandcommunityleadersaswellasourIRACDApost-doctoralTeachingScholarwerescheduledtoleadonlinediscussions.

•  DiscussionsexaminednewsepticsystemscurrentlybeingpilotedwhichreduceNitrogenloading.

•  Studentssynthesizedscientificinformationalongwitheconomic,societalandrenewableenergyimplicationstoarriveatarecommendation.

•  RecommendationsdisseminatedtoinformthecollegeandregionalcommunityviacapstonepresentationsattheStudentUndergraduateResearchConferenceonApril21,2017(sponsoredbySUNY),SENCERSSI,SUNYAppliedLearning

•  OtherNYProjectHelmsleypartnerinstitutionswillsharetheirSENCER-themedinterdisciplinaryprojects.

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SENCER-NYPHelmsleyProjectatSuffolkCountyCommunityCollegeChemistrystudents

demystifyingthechemicalreactionsofseptictanksandwatersupply.Whatishappeningandwhy?Developunderstandingofhowcrucialthesituationisandwhatistheactionthatmusttakeplace.

EngineeringScience

Whatistheproblem,howdoweimplementasolution,andwhatarethetradeoffs.

Journalism

Createwritingstoeducate,disseminatetothepublicanddiscusstheprosandconsoftheimplementationofsystem.Withoveramillionhomesandvitalwatersupplyatstake,whatdoesthismean?Watervscost?

ConstructionTechnology

Developdrawinganddescriptivediagramsdemonstratinghowthesystemoperates.Generatedescriptivediagramsdemonstratinghowourundergroundwatersupplyoperates.Howcanwedesigninformativeinformationforthepublic?

Blackboardascentralcommunicationlinkwithpossiblesocialmedia.Expertsinlocalgroundwaterpresenttostudents,regularstudentplanning/exchangemeetings.Disseminationofinformationtothecommunity,aninformedcommunity.

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SelectedStudentThoughtstoDiscussionPrompt:“WhatDoYouThinkisthePrimaryThreattoourDrinkingWater?”

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•  Potablevs“wildwater”•  Patternsinposts-sewageandfertilizers•  Sewage–dataongeology,cost,constructionissues•  Fertilizersvsherbicidesvspesticides;overuseandcoststoconsumers•  Fertilizers–nopermits•  EPAfines•  Unlicensedanduninsuredbusiness–avoidstaxestoGovernment•  SuffolkCountyFertilizerReductionAct

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StudentresponsetoDiscussionQuestion“WhatdoyouthinkisthePrimaryThreattoourdrinkingwater?”

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“…….AsregardsthedrinkingwaterthreatsforLongIsland,Idon'tthinkwecanseparatethreatstoourpotablewaterfromtheissueswithallofthe'wild'watersurroundingtheIsland(theSound,theOcean,thebaysandinlets;saltwaterandfresh).AfterreadingmanyofthepostsIambeginningtoseeapattern.Manyofthepostsarefocusontwomainissues:sewageandfertilizers.”

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Excerpts:StudentComments

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“….IthinkmostpeopleinformedoftheissuewillagreethatgivenLongIsland'suniquegeologicalcharacteristics,giventhefactthatLongIsland'spopulationiscurrentlyalmosteightmillion(threemillionofwhomliveinSuffolkandNassaucounties),giventhefactthatweretainallofourpotablewaterfromaquifersundertheisland,itisincome-prehensiblethatwecontinuetousecesspoolsforholdingsewage.Whenthereistheveryclearpossibilitythatwhatisinthosecesspoolswilleventuallycontaminatethefreshwatersupply,itisincumbentonustofindanalternativewayfordealingwithourwaste.Onepossiblesolutionwouldbetocreateasewersystemthatwoulddraintotheocean.Oneobviousproblemwiththatiscost.ThecostofswitchingeveryneighborhoodinSuffolkandNassaualonewouldbeastronomical.Theworkrequiredishighlyinvasive.…...Also,thereistheveryunfortunatepossibilitythatbythetimesuchaprojectwasapproved,funded,andcompleted,damagetoouraquiferwillhavealreadybegunandcontinuingformanyyears.”

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“…..fertilizer-isalsoamorecomplexproblem...IamactuallyveryfamiliarwiththisissuebecauseIownedandoperatedasmalllandscapingbusinessforthepasttenyearswithmybrother…..First,itisimportanttokeepinmindthedifferencesamongfertilizers,herbicides,andpesticides…..

Fertilizersareusedtofeedalawn.Homeownersapplyfertilizerstotheirlawnsmainlybecauseofpoordecision-makingwiththeirlandscaper.Also,landscaperswillapplyfertilizerstomakemoney,andIassureyouthereisnoeasiermoneytobemadebyalandscaperthantoapplyfertilizers.Theprofitmarginisenormousandthereisanincentivetoapplyingitbecausethereareessentiallynorulesregulatingitsapplication.Stateandlocalgovernmentsdonotrequirespecialpermits.toapplyfertilizers,andtheyareveryoftenappliedincorrectlyandunnecessarily.Onewaytopreventtheoveruseoffertilizersisforahomeownertoaskthathisorherlandscaperleavebehindtheclippings,…..makingfertilizerapplicationsallbutunnecessary.”

Excerpts:StudentComments

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•  AstorymapofthedatacollectedwaspreparedandthesemapsareinteractiveThelinktomapscanbemanipulatedbytheusertoturnonandofflayersandtoseethetabledataassociatedwitheachpoint,thoselinksarewithinthestorymap.

•  WithinBlackboardweaddedaquicklinktoamapapp,sothatstudentscouldseetheirdatagraphicallyandalsohavetheabilityforturningonandofflayers.

ESRIMappingofChemistryStudentWaterSampleData

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ModelDesignedbyEngineeringandConstructionTechnologyStudents

Liquidwasterecovery

LiquidandsolidwastecapsSolidwastemodel

AnalternativesepticsystemisinstalledinfrontofahomeonLauraCourtinNesconsetonAug.20,2015.Suffolkwantstochangethesanitarycodetolegalizesuchsystemscountywide.PhotoCredit:JamesCarbone

Septicsystemsarefailingtomeetstandardsandregulationputinplacetoday.Itisimportantforthesesystemstoworkproperlytoensurethatthewaterqualityoftheseareasdonotbecomecontaminatedbyharmfulchemicals.Thestateshouldrequireallpersonnelwhoeitherneedrepairsfortheirsystemsorneedacompletelynewsystemtogetanupgradedsepticsystemfortheirhome.

Manysystemsinhomestodaywerebuiltbeforenew,necessaryregulationswereputinplace.Theyareoutdatedtotoday’sstandards.Theseoldsystemsdonotproperlyworkinordertoremovecontaminatescontainedinsewage.Repairedsystemsalsolackreliabilitytoperformthistaskandarenotuptonewcode(Unknown).“Mysepticsystemisabout20yearsold,hasneverexhibitedanyproblems,thereareabsolutelynosignsofanyproblemsoutside(nosmells,nodampareas,noexcessivevegetationgrowth),andIhavehaditpumpedoutapproximatelyevery5years”accordingtoSepticHealthResources.

ExcerptsfromaJournalismPaper:SepticSystemUpgrades

Atwenty-year-oldsystem,pumpedeveryfiveyears,withnosignsofanyproblemscouldstillbepollutingwatersupply.Theproblemwiththisspecificsystemwasthatitwasleakingthroughsoil,downtobedrock,anddownhilltoanearbylake.Thiscontaminationshowednosignsnearthehomeinwhichitwasbuiltforyetitstillmanagedtocovertlycausecontamination("HealthResources").

Theissuemanyfindwithupgradingthesystemsistheabilitytoregulatethemandthecosts.Itmaybehardtorequireeveryonetoupdatetheirsystemsandkeeptrackofwhodidandwhodidnot.Anyonewhoneedsrepairsoranewsystemcouldsimplyberequiredtogetanewsystemwhichisuptocurrentcodes.Thiscouldbecostly.

Allcurrentsepticsystemswillfailorneedrepairsatonepoint.Systemswillalwaysrequireagreatcostinordertoworkproperly.Payingtoupgradethesesystemswillonlyensureabetterqualityandlastingsystem.Thiswillalsobebeneficialtokeepingdrinkingwatercleaner.

ExcerptsfromaJournalismPaper:SepticSystemUpgrades

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Dr.AlisonBranco;DirectorPeconicEstuaryFoundation

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•  Interdepartmentalworkwithanonlinecomponentrequiressomeadjustmentforfacultyandstudentsunfamiliarwiththeprocess.

•  Interdisciplinarystudent-centeredprojectsfacilitatelearning.•  Studentsremainedengaged.Fewerthanusualdroppedoutoftheircoursesandtherewerefewer“F”and“D”grades(journalismcourse)

•  Studentstookchargeoftheirlearning.•  Programcontinued2017semester.StudentsandIRACDAPostDoccollaboratedinanIntroductiontoResearchcourseasrelatedtotheirfallwork.

LessonsLearnedandFuturePlans

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ResearchMethodsCourse,IRACDA,SUNYUndergraduateResearchConferencePresentation

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•  NSFATEcomplementaryprojecttodevelopagreenenergyoptioninengineeringscienceandelectricaltechnologyandtoinfuseunderstandingofenergyingeneraleducationcourses

•  Institutionalization:CHE134ProgramLearningobjective:Evaluateanddiscusscontemporaryscience-relatedsocialandethicalissues,bothlocallyandglobally,usingscientificknowledgeandreasoningØ  Assessedawrittenformalreportbasedonqualityofdrinkingwateranalysisusinga

standardizedrubric(attachedattheendofthereport).Ø  StudentsstudiedwaterqualityfrompubliclyavailableSuffolkcountywaterauthority

data(SCWA).Thisassignmentisbasedonthe5Elearningmodel,whichincludesfivephases:engage,explore,explain,elaborate,andevaluate.

Ø  Spring2017assessmentdataresultsfrom6of9CHE134coursestaughtonall3SCCCcampusesincludingdayandeveningclassesofourmajor’slevelsecondsemesterchemistryCHE134courses

BroaderImpacts

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Ø  TheincorporationoftheHelmsleyWaterQualityprojectelementsinstitutionallyledtoover90%ofstudentsmetorexceededstandardsandlessthan10%ofstudentswereseentoapproachstandardsandnonefellbelowstandards.

Ø  StudentsreportswereevaluatedbaseduponrubricwhichincludesContaminantsAnalysis,ContaminantImpact,andEthicalIssuesandRemediation

Ø  Resultsindicatethatstudentsareinterestedtolearnaboutwaterqualityandotherenvironmental/ethicalissuessurroundingthem.

BroaderImpacts

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Publication:

Acknowledgements HelmsleyCharitableTrustNSF-ATENSF-S-STEMNSFLSAMPNSFSENCERNIHIRACDACAPSNSFGeoCORENSF-IUSENYSEDCSTEPSCCC-HelmsleyTeam:MargaretAltizer,NatalieNiemann,NinaLeonhardt,SeanTvelia,PeterMaritato,SharadhaSambasivan,TroyTucker,ElaineMerenda-NIHIRACDACAPSScholars:DominiqueWilliams,AngelaMigues