BOUDRIAS, Michel A. *; BOLENDER, James P.: Field Reseach at the Core of an Interdisciplinary Science Course

An Honors course called “Pollution in the Sand” was designed to integrate a student-directed research project into an upper division interdisciplinary science course. Many of the interdisciplinary science courses offered within the Honors Program at USD provide our undergraduates with a strong conceptual foundation but lack the key component of most of our science courses: hands-on laboratory and/or field experiences. “Pollution in the Sand” was an interdisciplinary course between Chemistry and Marine Science that included integrated lectures, laboratories, and field experiences at a remote research station in Baja California. The core of this course was an in-depth short-term research project that allowed the students to take ownership of their sampling site along a pollution gradient. The students were taught abiotic characterization techniques (pH, temperature, salinity dissolved oxygen),key analytical chemistry methods to determine water quality, sediment analysis (grain size, organic content)and benthic community diversity analysis. They participated in a “real-life” research project with tangible ecological goals. The students’ results provided a unique snapshot of the pollution gradient and its impact on sandy beach communities. We were able to quantify the impacts of the fish cannery at five sites along a pollution gradient under three distinct modes of operation. The cannery has a definite impact on the sites South along the gradient but our pristine sites showed no effects of the pollution plume. The scientific outcomes of this course have led to preparation of chemical and ecological publications. The success of this course establishes it as a model for the integration of interdisciplinary field research into the undergraduate curriculum.