First Semester Projects
Austin Munroe
Essential Questions
1. What is the role of science in making policy decisions?
When making decisions around policy that will affect a large portion of the population it important to make the most logical decision. For the Animas River there were many decisions that had to be made about the Gold King Mine and the possibilities for water treatment. This decisions require an understanding of the river and how it was affected. It also requires an understanding of how different solutions to the river will affects the human and wildlife of the area downstream. With a scientific understanding of the river presented to them, those in charge of policy have the information they need to make a decision for the problem at hand that best serves the people they represent.
2. How have geological, biological and human factors created and exacerbated acid mine drainage and water quality issues in the Animas River?
Acid mine drainage is the direct result of mining in the mountains for minerals like lead, arsenic, manganese, gold, and silver. When humans drills into the earth we expose sulfur in the underwater ways with oxygen and creates sulfuric acid. This is also known as acid mine drainage. This acid mine drainage sits in the mine and becomes highly acidic to the point where it breaks down the minerals inside the mine. It's the minerals inside the mine that are dissolved in the water and pose the most threat to the ecosystem downstream. When the ecosystem is harmed or there is damage to the waterways below a mine, it is the result of human interference.
3. To what degree do scientists have an obligation to communicate scientific concepts and data to the public in an understandable manner?
It my opinion that scientists must present any information they have in their area of expertise. When scientists look into an event and study the chemistry behind it they present the data on a technical level that is understandable to most. They present this data to the public to allow for equal scientific understanding of the current problem or event among everyone. If a scientist choices to present this information they do it through presenting the information like this to remain unbiased in the situation.
4. How has your understanding of scientific knowledge and/or the process of doing science changed throughout the semester as you’ve examined and manipulated data collected by professional scientists and performed analogous experiments to collect and analyze your own data?
My understanding of scientific knowledge at the beginning of the semester was very lacking when it came to breaking down and presenting the information. Throughout the year and the different activities and experimentation on the Animas River I began to understand that when we collect data we needed to organize the data to where it could be digested by everyone with little or no understanding of the sciences behind it. As the semester went on I focused on breaking down the information that I gathered and understanding it myself before presenting to other. When I would present the data with a clear definition of what it meant and what it meant to either the general safety or any issue that was concerning to that area.
Essential Questions
1. What is the role of science in making policy decisions?
When making decisions around policy that will affect a large portion of the population it important to make the most logical decision. For the Animas River there were many decisions that had to be made about the Gold King Mine and the possibilities for water treatment. This decisions require an understanding of the river and how it was affected. It also requires an understanding of how different solutions to the river will affects the human and wildlife of the area downstream. With a scientific understanding of the river presented to them, those in charge of policy have the information they need to make a decision for the problem at hand that best serves the people they represent.
2. How have geological, biological and human factors created and exacerbated acid mine drainage and water quality issues in the Animas River?
Acid mine drainage is the direct result of mining in the mountains for minerals like lead, arsenic, manganese, gold, and silver. When humans drills into the earth we expose sulfur in the underwater ways with oxygen and creates sulfuric acid. This is also known as acid mine drainage. This acid mine drainage sits in the mine and becomes highly acidic to the point where it breaks down the minerals inside the mine. It's the minerals inside the mine that are dissolved in the water and pose the most threat to the ecosystem downstream. When the ecosystem is harmed or there is damage to the waterways below a mine, it is the result of human interference.
3. To what degree do scientists have an obligation to communicate scientific concepts and data to the public in an understandable manner?
It my opinion that scientists must present any information they have in their area of expertise. When scientists look into an event and study the chemistry behind it they present the data on a technical level that is understandable to most. They present this data to the public to allow for equal scientific understanding of the current problem or event among everyone. If a scientist choices to present this information they do it through presenting the information like this to remain unbiased in the situation.
4. How has your understanding of scientific knowledge and/or the process of doing science changed throughout the semester as you’ve examined and manipulated data collected by professional scientists and performed analogous experiments to collect and analyze your own data?
My understanding of scientific knowledge at the beginning of the semester was very lacking when it came to breaking down and presenting the information. Throughout the year and the different activities and experimentation on the Animas River I began to understand that when we collect data we needed to organize the data to where it could be digested by everyone with little or no understanding of the sciences behind it. As the semester went on I focused on breaking down the information that I gathered and understanding it myself before presenting to other. When I would present the data with a clear definition of what it meant and what it meant to either the general safety or any issue that was concerning to that area.
