Engineering Innovative Solutions to Storm Water Problems through Diverse Community Participation

这个为期三年的项目集中在雨水污染问题上，这是缅因州的一个重要问题。 它旨在吸引高中学生，特别是女性，美洲原住民，非洲裔美国人和缅因州农村学校的学生，在暴雨水管理和环境污染减轻领域进行有意义的研究和工程教育。在这个项目中，高中生参与者与他们的老师和缅因州大学的教师和学生，以及当地社区以及来自私人，非营利和政府组织的代表一起工作。该项目还支持为高中实验室购买永久性实验室设备，如流速计和水质传感器包。智力优点项目参与者计划：（1）沿沿着一段经过缅因州班戈尔森林/住宅/工业区的Penjajawoc河建立一个水质评估传感器网络;（2）从传感器收集实时水质数据， 实验室分析水样;（3）使用计算机模型进行数据分析;以及（4）制作当地水道的水质图。 缅因州大学每年提供一个为期五天的雨水研究所，帮助参与者准备参与与雨水管理有关的公民科学项目。预期的结果包括通过参与这个基于项目的实践经验，提高学生对STEM教育和职业的兴趣，特别是对环境科学和工程的兴趣，这些实践经验涉及社会相关性。更广泛的影响该项目计划吸引来自学校和公众的180名学生和45名教师，包括来自班戈尔，奥本，和缅因州的波特兰地区。 至少75%的学生是女性，来自STEM中代表性不足或服务不足的群体，包括残疾学生。 预计至少有50%的学生参与者将在以后申请并被STEM相关的中学后学位课程接受。通过让代表性不足的少数民族学生、教师和社区参与环境相关问题和工程解决方案，赋予他们权力的模式有可能在全国范围内转移和推广。

This three-year project focuses on the problem of storm water pollution which is a significant issue in Maine. It seeks to engage high school students, particularly female, Native Americans, African Americans, and students from rural schools in Maine, in meaningful research and engineering education in the area of storm water management and environmental pollution mitigation. In this project, the high school student participants work with their teachers and the University of Maine faculty and students, alongside local communities as well as representatives from private, non-profit, and governmental organizations. This project also supports the purchase of permanent laboratory equipment such as spectrophotometers and water quality sensor packages for high school laboratories.Intellectual MeritThe project participants plan to: (1) build a sensor network for water quality evaluation along a section of the Penjajawoc stream going through forested/residential/industrial parts of Bangor, Maine; (2) collect real-time data on water quality from the sensors and laboratory analysis of water samples; (3) use computer modeling for data analysis; and (4) produce water quality maps for local water ways. A five-day Storm Water Institute, offered annually at the University of Maine, prepares the participants to work on participatory citizen science projects related to storm water management. Anticipated results include increased student interest in STEM education and careers, in particular about environmental science and engineering, through their involvement in this project-based hands-on experience on topics that are of societal relevance.Broader ImpactsThe project plans to engage 180 students and 45 teachers from schools and members of the public, including Native American communities from the Bangor, Auburn, and Portland areas of Maine. At least 75% of the students are female and from groups underrepresented or underserved in STEM including students with disabilities. It is expected that at least 50% of the student participants will later apply to and be accepted into a STEM-related post-secondary degree program. The model of empowering underrepresented minority students, teachers, and communities by engaging them in environmentally relevant problems and engineering solutions is potentially transferrable and scalable nationwide.