Laboratory Revitalization for Environmental Sustainability Research at Tufts University

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。在过去的40年里，环境工程领域已经从一个主要集中在“卫生工程”的学科发展到一个带来多学科方法来解决自然和工程系统中的环境问题。这一多学科办法对于满足对可持续办法的日益增长的需求，以利用、管理和养护自然资源至关重要。水是一种重要的资源，需要对水的数量和质量进行可持续管理。对当前和未来清洁水供应的最关键威胁之一是新出现的污染物，特别是工程纳米材料，药品和个人护理产品（PPCP）以及病原体。为了满足这一需求，该奖项将翻新现有的环境工程实验室，以创建一个集中的，高质量的实验室空间，以加强正在进行的和未来的环境可持续性研究计划。改造的成果将是新的环境可持续性实验室（ESL），该实验室将被广泛用于支持八名研究人员及其合作者的研究活动。翻新后的空间还将允许来自一系列学科和背景的本科生，研究生和博士后助理的综合研究和研究培训。在这个翻新的空间，塔夫茨大学将能够追求以下研究目标：（1）获得增强工程纳米材料在多介质环境系统中的传输，分布和持久性的数学建模的基础知识，（2）了解废水处理操作和反应性传输过程对水再利用系统中PPCPs环境命运的影响，（3）开发实时监测设备和建模工具，以评估城市地区水媒病原体的流行和命运，以及（4）创建和实施环境可持续性方面的多学科本科生和研究生研究培训。实验室改造将支持NSF的相关研究活动-通过创建一个物理和智力环境，重点是整合实验室实验和数学建模，以解决新兴污染物造成的环境威胁，资助研究人员。综合ESL的预期智力优势包括：（1）数据生成，以推进基础科学知识，并提供定量输入的数学和概念模型的开发和验证，（2）动手实验室研究经验，为本科生和研究生的研究人员灌输技术技能，以及对实验测量的价值和局限性的理解，（3）开发数学建模工具，将实验测量的效用扩展到不同介质类型、时间和空间尺度;（4）将实验结果和模型输出用作反馈机制，为未来的实验研究提供信息。翻新后的设施将为未来的环境可持续性领导者提供必要的技能，以开发和应用新方法，应对新出现的对水质和供水的威胁。新兴污染物的问题在主流和替代媒体中得到广泛讨论，因此是及时的，与社会相关的研究课题。ESL内的活动将超越在实验室进行的具体研究，以影响如何进行研究和研究培训，技术开发和实施，以及与新兴污染物有关的环境政策。塔夫茨大学工程学院在招聘和留住女性和其他代表性不足的少数族裔方面有着良好的记录。利用现有的计划和兴奋通过动手体验式学习与现实世界和社会相关的项目产生的，塔夫茨计划招募和留住学生，博士后助理和教师ESL研究项目的多元化群体。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Over the past 40 years, the field of environmental engineering has evolved from a discipline focused primarily on "sanitary engineering" to one that brings a multidisciplinary approach to solve environmental problems in natural and engineered systems. This multidisciplinary approach is essential for addressing the growing need for sustainable approaches to using, managing and conserving natural resources. Water is a critical resource requiring sustainable management of both quantity and quality. One of the most critical threats to current and future clean water supplies is emerging contaminants, specifically engineered nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), and pathogens. To address this need, this award will renovate the existing environmental engineering laboratories to create a centralized, high-quality laboratory space to enhance ongoing and future research programs in environmental sustainability. The outcome of the renovation will be the new Environmental Sustainability Laboratory (ESL), that will be used extensively to support the research activities of eight researchers and their collaborators. The renovated space will also allow for integrated research and research training of undergraduate students, graduate students and postdoctoral associates from a range of disciplines and backgrounds. Within this renovated space, Tufts University will be able to pursue the following research goals: (1) acquire fundamental knowledge for enhanced mathematical modeling of engineered nanomaterial transport, distribution and persistence in multi-media environmental systems, (2) understand the influence of wastewater treatment operations and reactive transport processes on the environmental fate of PPCPs in water reuse systems, (3) develop real-time monitoring devices and modeling tools to assess the prevalence and fate of waterborne pathogens in urban areas, and (4) create and implement multi-disciplinary undergraduate and graduate student research training in environmental sustainability.Intellectual Merit: The laboratory renovations will support relevant research activities of NSF-funded researchers by creating a physical and intellectual environment that focuses on integrating laboratory experiments and mathematical modeling to address the environmental threats posed by emerging contaminants. The anticipated intellectual merits of the integrated ESL include: (1) data generation to advance fundamental scientific knowledge and to provide quantitative inputs to mathematical and conceptual model development and validation, (2) hands-on laboratory research experiences for undergraduate and graduate student researchers that instill technical skills as well as an understanding of the value and limitations of experimental measurements, (3) development of mathematical modeling tools to extend the utility of experimental measurements across media types, and temporal and spatial scales, and (4) use of experimental findings and model output as feedback mechanisms to inform future experimental research.Broader Impacts: The renovated facility will provide future leaders in environmental sustainability with the skills necessary to develop and apply novel approaches in response to emerging threats to water quality and water supply. Issues of emerging contaminants are broadly discussed in mainstream and alternative media, and thus are timely, societal-relevant research topics. Activities within the ESL will reach beyond the specific studies conducted in the laboratory to influence how research and research training are conducted, technology development and implementation, and environmental policy related to emerging contaminants. The School of Engineering at Tufts University has a strong track-record of recruiting and retaining women and other underrepresented minorities. Using existing programs and the excitement generated through hands-on experiential learning on projects with real-world and social relevance, Tufts plans to recruit and retain a diverse group of students, postdoctoral associates, and faculty for ESL research programs.