{"id":21671,"date":"2022-02-24T12:47:22","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T12:47:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/?p=21671"},"modified":"2023-06-08T18:21:01","modified_gmt":"2023-06-08T18:21:01","slug":"students-make-a-big-splash-researching-water-quality","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uwb.edu\/news\/2022\/02\/24\/students-make-a-big-splash-researching-water-quality","title":{"rendered":"Students make a big splash researching water quality"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Unlike most college campuses, the University of Washington Bothell is nestled next to a wetland. Students, faculty and staff can spend their breaks walking underneath a canopy of trees, surrounded by greenery, listening to the trickle of water. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While the peaceful oasis created by the North Creek Wetland is beneficial to those who are looking to decompress between class periods or work hours, it has an even great value: rare research opportunities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Rob Turner, teaching professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, has been studying water quality on campus since 2007 and has involved hundreds of undergraduate students in his research. \u201cIt is a remarkable opportunity for our students to have such easy access to one of the largest wetland restoration projects in the Pacific Northwest.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ripple effect <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Turner\u2019s students begin their research in his class Environmental Monitoring Practicum, a lab that focuses on water quality. \u201cStudents in this course have collected water-quality data from particular locations in the North Creek Wetland year after year,\u201d he said. \u201cThat method of collection allows us to measure trends and analyze how things change over time.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For more than a decade, their research has shown evidence of E. coli in the water. Turner said this is to be expected given the number of crows \u2014 as many as 16,000 \u2014 that roost nightly in the wetland from dusk to dawn. \u201cOther researchers on campus are studying why the crows have chosen the wetlands for their home,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are focused on how to keep their home and our community safe by looking for ways to decrease the levels of E. coli.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Turner’s team of researchers; Kyle Quach (second in from left) and Ali-Ameedi (third from left)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

When senior Kyle Quach took this class a year ago, he discovered his passion. \u201cI realized that the research I was doing could have a greater outcome than just getting a good grade, and that motivated me. Knowing I could make a significant difference in the health of our ecosystem left me with a greater drive to succeed,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the quarter, Quach, an Earth System Science major, wasn\u2019t ready to stop the work. He joined Turner\u2019s research group of students equally engaged in the cause, and they together continued to look for ways to reduce the bacteria. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali Al-Ameedi, also a senior in ESS, has been part of the research group for nearly a year. He explained that students from a cohort in 2016 found that mushrooms could be a potential solution to decreasing E.coli. \u201cWhen we filter contaminated water in mycelium (the underground part of the mushroom) and woodchips, it decreases the E. coli,\u201d said Al-Ameedi. \u201cThe longer it was immersed, the more the bacteria is reduced.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current ideas <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Jar of contaminated water immersed in Stropharia mycelium and wood chip mulch<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Parallel to Turner\u2019s research is that of Keya Sen, lecturer in the School of STEM. Over the last decade, she and Turner have received a series of grants to fund research relating to the impact of crows on water quality and the use of mycelium to remove the contaminants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sen and her students are comparing the effectiveness of different mushroom species in decreasing various bacteria, including E.coli. They found that the Stropharia mushrooms yield the most promising results. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, the challenge is figuring out how to scale the project up and get enough Stropharia mycelium to clean the stormwater runoff. \u201cThe runoff going into North Creek is constantly flowing and constantly saturated in pathogenic bacteria, and the mycelium die off because they can\u2019t keep up,\u201d said Al-Ameedi. \u201cBut we keep working on it.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alumni Max Llewellyn and Coral Ely are also assisting on the research and brainstorming ways to implement the groups\u2019 findings. One of their ideas is to cover coconut planting discs in mycelium and distribute it into the wetland. \u201cWe hope to start this process in the coming months and gain results shortly after,\u201d Llewellyn said. \u201cIn the meantime, we remain cautiously optimistic about the results.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A drop in the bucket <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
Max Llewellyn conducting research on Stropharia mushroom mycelium<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Studying water quality on campus is not just good for the environment, it has also been highly beneficial for students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey learn methods of water sample collection and analysis that they go on to use in their careers,\u201d Turner said. \u201cLots of them work in government agencies or go into consulting. I hear from them every now and again, and am always happy to learn they have continued building on, and using, these skills.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Al-Ameedi testified to this and said he gained expertise in taking samples, collecting data and using machinery to gauge water characteristics such as pH levels, dissolved oxygen and turbidity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks to Dr. Turner and this research opportunity, I have the skills I need to qualify for the kinds of jobs I want to pursue after graduation,\u201d he said. \u201cI am extremely passionate about researching water quality \u2014 even if my contributions are just a drop in the bucket. It all adds up. I\u2019m excited to continue this work professionally in the years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Rob Turner and Dr. Keya Sen assist students in getting their feet wet in water-quality research. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_is_archived":false,"_archived_contact_email":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[202,229,214,204],"tags":[],"school":[419,421],"class_list":["post-21671","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-campus-news","category-faculty","category-research","category-students","school-school-of-ias","school-school-of-stem"],"acf":{"related_links":{"toggle_visibility":false,"link_1":"","link_2":"","link_3":"","link_4":"","link_5":""},"highlight_box":{"toggle_visibility":false,"title":"","content":"","button":"","button_style":"angled-purple-button","button_screen_reader_text":""},"contact_type_1":{"toggle_visibility":true,"contact_title":"Contact Us","email":"test@uwb.edu","phone":"(206) 999-1234","box":"Box 358500","address_line_1":"18115 Campus Way NE","address_line_2":"Bothell, WA 98011-8246","location":""},"contact_type_2":{"toggle_visibility":false,"contact_title":"","email":"","phone":"","box":"","address_line_1":"","address_line_2":"","location":""},"social_media":{"toggle_visibility":false,"facebook_url":"","instagram_url":"","linkedin_url":"","twitter_url":"","youtube_url":""},"blog_archive_sidebar_visibility":false},"yoast_head":"\nStudents make a big splash researching water quality - 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