MP2 Environmental Education
Monday, 14 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM in Exhibit Hall

(RAU-1117-824898) Excursions in science for pre-collegiate students: Environmental contaminants and their effects in Florida alligators.

Rauschenberger, R¹, Lawrence, C², ¹ US Fish and Wildlife Service, Jacksonville, FL, USA² University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA

ABSTRACT- The future health of our environment depends on drawing high quality students into the field of environmental science. Therefore, education in environmental science should begin at the pre-collegiate level so that students may gain understanding of the challenges and opportunities experienced by environmental scientists. Our project uses internet and video CD/DVD interactive technology to present a well-documented environmental problem to illustrate the multidisciplinary nature of environmental science to pre-collegiate students and educators. The illustration involves reproductive problems in a species of universal interest, the American alligator; and its relation to a group of persistent, global contaminants: chlorinated hydrocarbon pesticides. The basic scientific method serves as the outline with several leading researchers from the University of Florida, the Florida Freshwater Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the US Geological Survey discussing subjects ranging from alligator biology to environmental chemistry, to fate and effects of contaminants. Following the introductory material, a recently completed four-year study that examined the problem is presented to educate students in hypothesis testing, and the difficulty and fun in conducting field and laboratory studies. The project includes a discussion of the study's results, with leading researchers discussing potential solutions. Our project concludes with researchers' personal stories of their career pathways and words of advice to pre-collegiate students interested in environmental science careers. Project support provided by a grant to RHR from the Bingham Environmental Education Foundation and in-kind service provided by the University of Florida Center for Pre-Collegiate Education and Training. Study support provided by a NIEHS SBRP grant to Timothy S. Gross.

Key words: organochlorines, reproduction, reptiles, education