High School Outreach Leads to Science Fair Success
Feb. 7, 2013
The University of Arizona Superfund Research program (UA SRP) has been working with students in Lynne Cote’s Biomedical Research class at Mountain View High School in Marana, Arizona. The relationship began last year when UA investigator and Training Core leader Dr. Todd Camenisch helped students develop a project that investigated arsenic levels in drinking water in and around the Tucson metropolitan area. This year UA SRP graduate trainee Mike Stovern volunteered to join in and work with 12th grade students Matt Gomez, James Anthon, and Stihlyn Chamberlain to conduct a phytostabilization project.
Stovern reports that, when approached with a green-house project on phytostabilization of mine tailings using indigenous plants, the students “jumped at the opportunity!” They immediately began to review the literature, develop a hypothesis and methods, and collect the required materials to execute the project.” The students planted two different desert plant types in over 75 test pots with different blends of soil/mine tailings donated by two mining companies, ASARCO and Freeport McMoRan. The students showcased their results at the Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair (SARSEF). The SARSEF event is held in Tucson each March and features approximately 1300 science projects from K-12 students from southern Arizona. Matthew’s, James’ and Stihlyn’s project, “Surveying the Growth Potential of Buffalo Grass and Quailbush for Phytostabilization” won 2nd place in the 12th grade Environmental Sciences category, as well as 2nd place for Best Use of Natural Resources Applicable to Mining, a sponsored award by a mining company.
The students, and their UA SRP mentors, are very excited by their success. They have plans to continue the project and assimilate their plants into a larger UA SRP field study taking place at the Iron King Mine Humboldt Smelter Superfund site in Dewey-Humboldt, AZ. All three students have accepted offers to attend The University of Arizona or Arizona State University, with a keen interest in environmental science and engineering. The UA SRP thanks trainee Michael Stovern for his hard work and commitment to this project and congratulates Matthew, James and Stihlyn on their research success – they have a bright future ahead.