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Session 3451

Incorporating a Research Project and a Water Chemistry Laboratory into the Water Quality Engineering Course at the University of Hartford

David Pines / Jean Roberts

College of Engineering / College of Arts and Sciences University of Hartford

Abstract

The Civil Engineering program at the University of Hartford requires students to take a four- credit Water Quality Engineering course that includes an environmental research project and a one credit Water Chemistry Laboratory taught by the Chemistry Department. Collaboration between the environmental engineering and chemistry faculty has further strengthened the program by having students learn analytical techniques on samples collected from local water and wastewater treatment plants. The data collected by the students is then used in the Water Quality Engineering course for analyzing the physical, chemical, and/or biological performance of each unit process. By using their own data, the students also gain a better understanding of the uncertainty in the water quality measurements. The Water Quality Engineering course also includes a laboratory. This laboratory is designed so that students work on a semester long group research project that is sponsored by a local utility, muncipality, or consulting firm. These projects require students to do fieldwork, laboratory work, design, and data analysis. At the end of the semester, students make an oral presentation and submit a final report to the sponsors. Student surveys and feedback from the sponsors of the research projects have been used to assess the effectiveness of this approach in teaching water and wastewater treatment.

I. Introduction

At the University of Hartford, civil engineering students are required to take a four-credit Water Quality Engineering course and a one credit Water Chemistry Laboratory in the first semester of their senior year. Physical, chemical, and biological treatment of water and wastewater are the primary topics covered in the water quality engineering course. In 1999, the course was revised to include a water research project that is sponsored by a local utility, municipality, or engineering firm. The research project provides students a hands-on experience with a current environmental engineering issue and in-depth knowledge of a topic that would otherwise be difficult to attain in an introductory water treatment course.

Proceedings of the 2002 American Society for Engineering Education Annual Conference & Exposition Copyright © 2002, American Society for Engineering Education

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Roberts, J., & Pines, D. (2002, June), Incorporating A Research Project And A Water Chemistry Laboratory Into The Water Quality Engineering Course At The University Of Hartford Paper presented at 2002 Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada. 10.18260/1-2--10306