U.S./South African Undergraduate Education and

Research WorkshopsThe Witwatersrand Deep Microbiology

Project: A Window into the Extreme Environment of the Deep Subsurface

Waste Management Researchand Education Institute

S.M. Pfiffner, K.L. Davis, T.C. Onstott, T. Kieft,

T.J. Phelps, E. van Heerden and D. Litthauer

AbstractThe South African mines provided a unique opportunity for research investigating geochemical and microbial processes in deep subsurface environments. This venture is an outgrowth of ongoing research through the NSF LExEn program for the Witswatersrand Deep Microbiology Project. This educational effort began in December 2001 with a workshop for U.S. and South African underrepresented minority undergraduate students. The purpose of the workshop was to provide a field laboratory hands-on research experience for undergraduates in the fields of earth science, biological sciences, environmental sciences, and engineering. The goals were to recruit and engage students in hands-on exciting interdisciplinary scientific research, to encourage students towards scientific careers, and to foster opportunities for educational, research and biotechnological efforts. We provided a safe and successful workshop. Program evaluation consisted of exit surveys and post workshop assessments. There were positive impacts on underrepresented minority students. The students expanded their knowledge base, field and laboratory skills, gained an appreciation for interdisciplinary research, and developed international networks. Student interaction with other students and mentors continues. Mentors expanded their networks to international students, scientists and mining companies. Opportunities were gained for collaborative research projects, educational and/or outreach programs and joint funding ventures. Another hands-on undergraduate research workshop will occur December 2002. http://geomicro.utk.edu

U.S./S.A. Undergraduate Educational Workshop

• Educational Exchange Initiative

• Research Opportunities for underrepresented undergraduates

• Field Laboratory Workshop

• Life in Extreme Environments and Biotechnological Application

• Proposed NSF REU Site: Biogeochemical Educational Experiences-South Africa (BEE-SA)

SubsurfaceSubsurfaceMicrobialMicrobial

BiogeochemicalBiogeochemicalCyclingCycling

Community StructureCommunity Structure

FunctionFunctionAseptic SamplingAseptic Samplingw/ Tracersw/ Tracers

EnvironmentEnvironment

Build a team!Build a team!

Sherwood Lollar-Univ. Toronto

DeFlaun-Envirogen Inc.

Takai-JAMSTEC

Pedersen-Univ. Goteborg

Balkwill-Florida State

Pfiffner&White-Univ. Tenn.

Southam-Northern Arizona

Omar&Hoek-Univ. Penn.

Boone-Portland State

Pratt-Indiana Univ.

Stahl-Univ. Wash.Baker-Univ. Wisconsin

Stute-LDEO

Suflita-Univ. Oklahoma

Phelps-ORNLPhelps-ORNL

Fredrickson&Brockman-PNNL

Wilson-Turgis Tech.Wilson-Turgis Tech.Alexander-Univ. Wits.Alexander-Univ. Wits.Spoelstra-DriefonteinSpoelstra-Driefontein

CollaborationVan Heerden&LitthauerUniv. Free State

Purpose• To recruit and engage students

– Undergraduate hands-on experience

– Unique and exciting scientific research

– Interaction with faculty mentors

• To encourage students towards scientific careers– Retention of professionals in science and

engineering fields

• To explore opportunities for expanding the educational, research and biotechnological efforts

• To capitalized on interdisciplinary research

• To foster a science and technology pipeline

Strategies• Initial Field Laboratory Workshop

– Five days, Dec. 17-21, 2001

– UOFS, Bloemfontein, SA

• Undergraduate hands-on field and laboratory experiences

• Students: 5-US, 8-SA– 12 female, 1 male

• Mentors: 4-U.S., 4-S.A.– 3 female, 4 male

• Next workshop Dec. 2002

• Submitted REU Site to NSF

• Web site: http:/geomicro.utk.edu

Field Laboratory Research Facility

• Staffed on a regular basis by faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students

• Operated by Princeton University

• Equipped for microbial/chemical analyses

• Houses an office and lodging facilities

• Aspects of this facility were transferred to UOFS for the educational workshops

• University of Tennessee• Princeton University• Florida A&M• New Mexico Institute

of Technology• Oak Ridge National

Laboratory

• University of the Free State• University of the North• University of Witswatersrand

U.S./S.A. Participants

Importance of an International Venue

• Great education experience for undergraduate students

• Scientific aspects and social aspects of working in a foreign country with cultural issues

• Develop international teamwork and networking skills

• Being isolated from one’s home environment– Exposure to intense research and one-on-one contact

– Magnifies the impact of the educational experience

– More knowledge and skills absorbed

• Gain understanding of challenges faced by their future colleagues in academia, industry and government in a developing country

Workshop Procedures• Advertisements

– Host Institutions– HBCUs– AGU, GSA, ASM

• Student requirements– Transcript– Letter of recommendation– Statement of investigation– Phone interview

• Student Selection– U.S. and S.A. faculty mentors– Paired students = teamwork

• Pre-workshop U.S. preparation– Health and safety forms– Emergency contact– Travel plans and insurance– Mine access permission– Parental notification/permission

• Pre-workshop S.A. preparation– Housing and transportation– Agenda, meals, and social events– Pre-sampling trip in mine– Laboratory and computer logistics– Example experiments initiated

Agenda• Monday

– Welcome, field logistics, conduct and ethics, sampling trip preparation, site geology lecture

• Tuesday– Sampling trip to Beatrix mine, on-site analyses

• Wednesday– Fissure water geochemistry, microbial characterization, enzymatic

processes

• Thursday– Molecular techniques, microbial diversity, intellectual property, data

interpretation

• Friday– Discussion about the workshop and research findings, completion of

student reports, celebration

Sampling

• Rocks from freshly mined face

• Fissure water from flowing boreholes

• Biofilms

• Cores

• Air/Gases

SubsurfaceSubsurfaceMicrobialMicrobial

BiogeochemicalBiogeochemicalCyclingCycling

SamplingSampling

MicroscopyMicroscopy& Mineral & Mineral

GeochemistryGeochemistryAqueousAqueous

GeochemistryGeochemistry

EnvironmentEnvironmentDissolved Gases, Dissolved Gases,

Cosmogenic Cosmogenic & Stable Isotopes& Stable Isotopes

PLFA-cell membranePLFA-cell membrane

Isolates &Isolates &ArchivesArchives

FunctionFunction

16SrDNA16SrDNA

Community StructureCommunity Structure EnrichmentsEnrichmentsgenes, & genes, & enzymesenzymes

Summary: Programmatic Issues

• Safe, successful workshop

• Positive impact on underrepresented minority students– Gained knowledge that would help

them in their career path

– Recommended workshop to other students

– student tracking and interaction with mentors and other participants continues

Summary: Student Issues

• Students:– Expanded their knowledge base, field

and laboratory skills– Students gain an appreciation for

interdisciplinary research– Developed international networking

• Among themselves• With interdisciplinary scientists

– Gained opportunities• Entered graduate school• Participated in other summer program

Summary: Mentor Issues

Mentors:– Expanded their networks

• International students and scientists

• Mining companies

– Developed research collaborations

– Gained opportunities• Continuation of education/career paths

• Invitations to visit each others institutions

• Industrial hosting of future outreach events

• Joint funding ventures

Participant Comments• Hasina Outtz wrote“… I had an absolutely AMAZING time! The week was definitely well spent,

and I was able to gain a lot of experience in lab areas as well as have a lot of fun.”

• Namisha Muthraparsad emailed us as her next term started “… I AM BACK AT WITS TO DO MY HONOURS. I THINK WE WILL STILL BE SAMPLING FROM THE BEATRIX AND ORYX MINES...A LOT OF MY FRIENDS WANT TO SEE IT (the web site). THEY THINK ITS PRETTY COOL!! COULD U PLEASE GIVE ME THE ADDRESS... HAD THE GREATEST TIME DOWN IN BLOEMFONTEIN.”

• When asked if the students would participate in an extended version (summer) program, all students said “yes!”

• Profs. D. Litthauer and E. van Heerden wrote: “To all the workshop friends: Thanks for a wonderful week of getting to know new people and sharing some great experiences. All our best wishes for the new year may all your wildest dreams come true!!!”

• In their final report, Patience Modise (S.A. student) and Ana Inés Gracía Zalisñak (U.S. student) wrote “... we studied different geomicrobiological and biochemical procedures during the 5-day workshop in South Africa, and learned the techniques used for the above-mentioned processes. Thank you for giving us this great, unforgettable opportunity, not only to learn science, but also to experience an amazing cultural exchange of ideas, language, customs, and country.”

NeSS Benefits• Readily accessible year round

• Educational technology transfer

• Undergraduate program as a model

• Basis for interdisciplinary educational outreach

• Opportunities for joint collaborations

• Opportunities for international students coming to U.S.

• Linked with extensive network of R&D institutions

• Top quality multidisciplinary R&D opportunities

Waste Management Researchand Education Institute

Proposed REU Site: BEE-SA • Proposal submitted to NSF September 2002

• Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) Program– Site at UT and UOFS

• Recruit and encourage the retention of underrepresented minority undergraduates in the fields of Earth and Biological Sciences, Environmental Sciences and Engineering

• Summer program (7 weeks) 2003-2004

• Eight to ten U.S. underrepresented minority undergraduates and two K-12 teachers doing hypothesis-driven research

• LExEn field research, lectures and laboratory tutorials given by U.S and S.A. mentors (designated mentors for one-one training)

Future Endeavors Adventures into extreme environments continue to

yield exciting developments in geomicrobiology of the deep subsurface.

Acknowledgements These educational workshops were funded by the National Science Foundation EAR

Geology and Paleontology under the program direction of Richard Lane. The field laboratory workshop for Dec 2001 (NSF-0132418) was a supplement to the NSF Life in Extreme Environment Program for the Witswatersrand Deep Microbiology Project (EAR-9978267). The December 2002 workshop (NSF-0228968) was funded separately by the program. Thanks go to the Gold Fields and Harmony mining companies, Rob Wilson, Turgis Technology Ltd., other South African and U.S. universities and industries that provided assistance to the workshop.