Students in the University’s aquatic pollution class recently attended an outdoor class on New Orleans’ lakeshore.
The class taught by Aixin Hou, professor in the School of Renewable Natural Resources, gathered sediments and water samples with help from students from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
William Barlett, environmental engineering master’s student, said students gathered samples on Lake Pontchartrain’s southern shore, as well as from the 17th Street, Industrial and London canals.
The class’s field trip is part of a project that started this past September and is projected to continue through September.
The samples were brought to the University to be tested for amounts of heavy metals and pathogens, and the results are still not complete. Adrienne Viosca, School of Renewable Natural Resources master’s student, said the field trip greatly supplemented the class.
“The hands-on experience was extremely valuable on helping to bridge together and understand major concepts taught in the Aquatic Pollution class lecture,” Viosca said.
Viosca also said the research has allowed University students to meet students from different universities with the same interest.
“Some benefits include the opportunity to work with other students with different backgrounds and learn about different research being conducted,” Viosca said.
April Mason, School of Renewable Natural Resources master’s student, said knowing the pollution levels of the lake can assist clean-up efforts.
“With this study the public can be educated about how Lake Pontchartrain was impacted by Katrina,” Mason said.
 
 
Contact Justin Fritscher at [email protected]