May 12, 2016

Since last fall, about 70 Weld County high schoolers have been conducting hands-on air quality research, thanks to a partnership between the University of Colorado Boulder and two local high schools.

Now the students are ready to share their research projects at the Air Quality InQuiry (AQIQ) Science Symposium on May 18 from 5 – 6:30 p.m. in the Columbine Rooms, University Center, University of Northern Colorado, 2101 10th Ave. in Greeley. The event is open to the public and includes a free dinner.

Under the guidance of CU-Boulder mechanical engineering associate professor Michael Hannigan, graduate and undergraduate students have worked closely with teachers from Greeley Central High School and Union Colony Preparatory School to help the students design projects that investigate local air quality issues. The program started in Delta County three years ago and was expanded to Weld County this year.

“The students have done everything from collecting indoor air quality in their schools and homes to examining emissions from their vehicles to looking at how houseplants impact air quality,” said Ashley Collier, a graduate student in mechanical engineering. “We encourage the high school students to chose a research question that interests them and connects to their daily lives.”

The high school students collect samples using low-cost, next-generation air quality monitors developed in Hannigan’s lab and then analyze their own data.

Eileen Duncan, who teaches AP environmental science at Union Colony Preparatory School, said the partnership has given her students another opportunity to do field work, design their own experiments, collect and analyze data, and communicate and support their findings with evidence.

“The students really benefit from outside programs like this, because it enables them to see science and technology at work in our daily world and it helps teachers answer the student question "how will I use this in my life"?” Duncan said.

Hannigan said the partnership is equally valuable for his engineering students, who are able to engage with high school students in a way that reinforces their own knowledge and confidence as engineers. The CU-Boulder students take the course as an independent, project-based learning class.

For Tori Danner, who just graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering, the experience taught her skills that she wouldn’t learn in a college classroom.

“I have learned how to explain concepts to students that may not have as much knowledge in the subject. I have also gained a lot of confidence speaking in front of people,” Danner said.

Hannigan and Collier began working with the Western Slope Conservation Center in Paonia to monitor air quality three years ago, which developed into a baseline air quality study and an educational program in the local high schools. This year the educational program has expanded to Greeley.

The project culminates each spring with the symposium featuring posters that demonstrate the students’ findings.

“Discussing their projects with other students, teachers, parents and researchers provides a nice conclusion to the entire project,” Collier said. “Students are provided with an opportunity to talk about what went well, what didn't and what surprised them. Overall, the science symposium allows them to show off their work and reflect on the experience.”  

The program was originally supported by the CU-Boulder Office for Outreach and Engagement and is now funded through the National Science Foundation’s  AirWaterGas Sustainability Research Network, based at CU-Boulder.

For more information contact:

• Eileen Duncan, Union Colony Preparatory High School, eduncan@unioncolonyschools.org 
• Michael Hannigan, michael.hannigan@colorado.edu 
• Ashley Collier, ashley.collier@colorado.edu 

– CU –