CURE Examples



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Environmental Science

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Community Flood Risk Assessment from Rising/Surging Seas Project
Kevin Kupietz, Elizabeth City State University
Globally 634 million people, 10% of the world's population, live in coastal areas less than 10 meters above sea level. According to 2010 census data, 123 million people, 39% of the United States population, live in coastal counties with an estimated increase to this number by 8% in the 2020 census. As natural disasters have been seen to increase in frequency and severity in the past five years coupled with expected sea rises from climate change it is important that anyone involved with the safety and resiliency planning of their organization/community have an understanding of how to scientifically assess risk from flooding in order to mitigate and recover from the effects. This project allows students the ability to develop skills to utilize computer modeling systems and to apply the data to real world communities in examining risk to structures as well as different groups in the community.

Discipline: Environmental Science, Geoscience:Hydrology, Environmental Science:Natural Hazards, Land Use and Planning, Global Change and Climate, Oceans and Coastal Resources, Geoscience:Ocean Science, Geoscience, Computer Science, Engineering, Social Sciences, Sociology, Psychology, Environmental Science:Ecosystems, Sustainability
Core Competencies: Developing and using models, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Planning and carrying out investigations, Using mathematics and computational thinking, Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data
Nature of Research: Applied Research
State: North Carolina
Target Audience: Major, Non-major, Upper Division
CURE Duration: A full term

Water in Gen Chem
Ruthanne Paradise, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Discipline: Chemistry:Environmental Chemistry, Chemistry, Environmental Science:Water Quality and Quantity, Environmental Science, Chemistry:Analytical Chemistry
Core Competencies: Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Planning and carrying out investigations, Analyzing and interpreting data
Nature of Research: Applied Research
State: Massachusetts
Target Audience: Introductory, Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: A full term

BIOL 189T Fungal Biology
Alija Mujic, California State University-Fresno
The diversity, community structure, and functional diversity of fungi in the high Sierra is understudied and is largely unknown from the Sierra Nevada foothills. Through use of direct field sampling I will engage BIOL189T students in sampling efforts to elucidate the fungal biology of these understudied habitats. Students will sample fungal sporocarps (mushrooms) from existing field plots established by the National Environmental Observation Network (NEON) and use morphological identification techniques and DNA barcoding methods to identify the fungal diversity in these habitats. Future iterations of the course will likely focus upon selected fungal taxa identified in previous iterations of the course to investigate the phenology and ecological interactions of the fungal community in these habitats in NEON plots.

Discipline: Environmental Science:Human Population, Sustainability, Land Use and Planning, Global Change and Climate, Forest Resources, Life Sciences:Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Anatomy and Physiology, Ecology, Environmental Science, Ecosystems, Life Sciences:Genetics, Life Sciences, Evolution
Core Competencies: Planning and carrying out investigations, Analyzing and interpreting data, Developing and using models, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Nature of Research: Basic Research, Field Research, Wet Lab/Bench Research
State: California
Target Audience: Upper Division, Major
CURE Duration: A full term

Determining the Calcium and Magnesium Ions in Water (Total Water Hardness)
Candice Cortney, California State University-Fresno
CHEM 1AL is laboratory course that introduces laboratory methods in general chemistry for undergraduates who have declared, or interested in, a science major. The CURE research for this laboratory will be centered around students determining the total hardness of water from different sources of water (i.e. bottled, filtered, tap). This CURE design will span across seven consecutive weeks and this will allow students to plan, propose, implement, analyze, and present their results. Implementing a CURE design into this course will give students experience with research and reinforce proper laboratory techniques.

Discipline: Chemistry, Environmental Science:Water Quality and Quantity, Environmental Science, Chemistry:Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry
State: California
Target Audience: Introductory
CURE Duration: A few class periods

Investigating local climate change impacts in a STEM first year learning community
Mara Brady, California State University-Fresno
still in progress...

Discipline: Environmental Science:Water Quality and Quantity, Global Change and Climate, Chemistry:Environmental Chemistry, Environmental Science:Waste, Soils and Agriculture, Geoscience:Soils, Geoscience, Life Sciences:Ecology, Geoscience:Biogeosciences, Environmental Science, Land Use and Planning, Sustainability, Air Quality
Core Competencies: Using mathematics and computational thinking, Analyzing and interpreting data, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Planning and carrying out investigations
Nature of Research: Applied Research, Field Research
Target Audience: Major
CURE Duration: Multiple terms

Emerging Contaminants in Arizona
Frank Marfai, Phoenix College

Discipline: Environmental Science:Air Quality, Water Quality and Quantity, Waste, Statistics, Environmental Science
Core Competencies: Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data, Using mathematics and computational thinking, Developing and using models
Nature of Research: Basic Research, Applied Research
State: Arizona
Target Audience: Introductory, Upper Division, Non-major, Major
CURE Duration: Multiple terms, A full term

Extraction of Lycopene and other Antioxidants from Tomatoes
Marion Franks, North Carolina A & T State University
This CURE is focused on exposing undergraduate students to the use of chemical instrumentation to observe the composition of antioxidants in natural products. Students will learn how to read scientific literature, develop a hypothesis, plan research, interpret data, and relate the data to ongoing phenomenon.

Discipline: Environmental Science:Soils and Agriculture, Chemistry, Organic Chemistry
Core Competencies: Developing and using models, Planning and carrying out investigations, Analyzing and interpreting data, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Nature of Research: Applied Research
Target Audience: Non-major, Major, Upper Division
CURE Duration: Half a term

Spatial Distribution of Food Resources in the Phoenix Metro Area.
Elena Ortiz, Phoenix College
The main research question/ driving question is: How are food resources distributed across the urban landscape? Students will explore previous work on food deserts in the Phoenix Metro area, use census data, USDA data, collect and compile data on the local food system, create data visualizations and maps, and determine future data needs. Students will also determine stakeholders and community members that could act on the results of their findings and identify appropriate ways to communicate their research to those audiences.

Discipline: Life Sciences:Plant Biology, Environmental Science:Sustainability, Statistics, Environmental Science:Soils and Agriculture
Core Competencies: Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data
Nature of Research: Applied Research
State: Arizona
Target Audience: Non-major
CURE Duration: Multiple terms, Half a term

What's in your water?
Robin Cotter, Phoenix College
Water quality is an issue that impacts everyone, but do we really know what is in the water we drink? Water quality is an issue that impacts everyone, but do we really know what is the water we drink? Chemical and bacteriological contamination of water has serious implications for human health. For example, in agricultural areas, pesticides and fertilizers can lead to contamination of groundwater. High levels of nitrate can lead to methaemoglobinaemia (blue baby syndrome). Solvents and heavy metals generated during mining can lead to toxicosis. As witnessed in Flint, Michigan, the use of lead pipes in plumbing can lead to elevated levels of lead in drinking water which can impact the mental development in children. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA or C8) is a man-made chemical used in the process of making Teflon. PFOA's pose global health concerns as they persist in the environment and human body for extended periods of time and can now be detected in almost everyone's blood. To address this issue, introductory biology, microbiology and chemistry students at our 2-year community college will work together to test water from local water treatment plants for the presence of chemical and biological contaminants. Students will learn about the scientific process as they perform background research on EPA water standards, potential sources of water contaminants, and the water treatment process. Students will hold virtual meetings with community, university, and industry partners to identify relevant research questions related to water treatment. Students will then do a site visit to a local water treatment plant where they will collect and analyze water samples from different stages of the water treatment process. Students will test the water samples for the presence of organic pollutants and microbial pathogens. This data will be entered into a regional database and compared to water quality reports posted on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) website. Students will then present their findings at community meetings, STEM outreach events, and via virtual poster sessions.

Discipline: Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Environmental Science:Water Quality and Quantity, Environmental Science, Life Sciences, Microbiology, Chemistry:Organic Chemistry
Core Competencies: Using mathematics and computational thinking, Planning and carrying out investigations, Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering), Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Analyzing and interpreting data
Target Audience: Introductory, Upper Division, Major
CURE Duration: Half a term

The effects of grazing of water coliforms and antibiotic resistant microbes
Kristy Duran, Adams State University; Benita Brink, Adams State University

Discipline: Life Sciences:Cell Biology, Environmental Science:Water Quality and Quantity, Soils and Agriculture, Life Sciences:Microbiology, Life Sciences, Environmental Science
Core Competencies: Analyzing and interpreting data, Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering), Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
Nature of Research: Wet Lab/Bench Research, Basic Research
State: Colorado
Target Audience: Introductory, Major
CURE Duration: A few class periods