Integrating Research into Geochemistry

Jeanette PopeDePauw University

Using Local Resources

Premise: Maybe students should do something while they are doing something

What is the purpose of teaching (undergraduate) geochemistry?

What is the content that students need to know?

What are the skills?

**How will the students best learn this information?**

Students learn best by doing…..

….why not in class, too?

Purpose of undergraduate science education teach & develop skills develop critical thinking apply scientific method

Purpose of undergraduate research teach & develop skills develop critical thinking apply scientific method

Integrating research into geochemistry labs

Important (aqueous) geochemistry skill set field test

• pH• alkalinity• D.O. measurements

lab skills• acid - base titrations• alkalinity• hardness

instrumental analyses• IC• AA• XRD

} ICP

Field Samples

One Approach: tell students that bottles must be rinsed three

times to collect a high quality sample demonstrate proper technique

Another Way: ask students to consider

what will affect the quality of the samples they collect

how can they assure that their sample will be representative?

how might they learn what constitutes good technique?

Possible outcomes of option 2

student generated field protocol

get into literature

better comprehension

investment in the process

**critical thinking about purpose of methods**

Lab Techniques

Traditional development of lab skills: give students a series of “known” unknowns grade based on whether the correct answer was

found

Alternative method let students generate their own, “new” data while

learning a technique grade based on observed technique

+/or reproducibility of results

may involve generating your own key before/after lab

Value of alternative approach

students learn the skill

opportunity for meaningful statistics

reproducibility of data

relevant discussion of QA/QC

**critical thinking about technique**

Analytical Techniques

Research scientists often use sophisticated instruments to gather datawater chemistrymineralogysurface properties

How will most students learn how to use these “black boxes” if not in class?

?

Student learning with instruments

application of theory learn complex interface with automated

systems useful skill for grad school

& future employment implications for data

quality and sources of errors

$60K price tag impresses students!

So….how is it done?

Developing research projects for classpick something relevant to you and the studentsconsider the goals of the courseguide through questions

be reasonable! pick projects that are manageable!

The practicalitieswhat is the class format?what support do you have?are there local resources available?

An Example….

Q:Are there differences btwn the influences on water chemistry in the Nature Park Quarry Pond and Big Walnut Creek?

Q:What do we need to know to answer this question?

Q:How can we find out?

The Approach

Students collected samples

• first needed to develop protocol- class discussion on importance- went to EPA, USGS sampling techniques- turned in lab report of their protocol

• field tested protocol to develop techniques

• considered sampling scheme as class

• temporal and spatial variation

• field measurements of pH, temp, etc.

The Approach

Students learn lab methods

• several techniques- alkalinity- acid/base- hardness

• each individual worked alone but data was shared

• used Excel to analyze data

• lab report grade based on both value and discussion of error/variation

The Approach

Students learn instruments

• different techniques- IC for anions- AA for metals, cations

• introduced theory to class and scheduled individual meetings to run machines

• used Excel to statistically analyze data

• report on the method, including limitations

The Approach

Students analyzed data

• observable trends- internal variability - similarities, difference btwn samples

• possible explanation of the data

• asked to consider future projects that would test their observations

• last two points appeared on final exam

Warts and all

Some drawbacks….LOTS of time investment

kind of chaotic

need to be creative, think on your toes

if the project is sincere, than the outcome truly is unknown…..that’s scary!

GeochemistryLab

students can get frustrated

colleagues may not understand

“The Holy Roman Empire was neither Holy nor Roman nor an Empire…

discuss”Much thanks to…

Carl Kirby, BucknellBill Casey, UC DavisNSF DUEInnocent bystanders,

I mean students• Erica Amt• Andrew Turner• Christina Houston• Andie Wyatt • Troy Wyss• Chris Myrvold• Kelly Fransted• Laura Stevens