MetrologyLab IIA-Guided IndRes

2 Credits · Level: Graduate, Undergraduate

Full Title: Environmental Metrology Lab IIA: Guided Independent Research This is a transitional course from EMAP 512 Environmental Metrology Lab I: Instrumental Principles and Measurements to EMAP 518 Capstone Projects. It provides authentic experiential learning processes through which students learn to carry out guided independent laboratory research on topics formulated either during EMAP-512 or the 10-week summer internships (EMAP 800) in the preceding summer. Under the guidance of instructors/advisors, students will first formulate a draft research proposal that addresses (1) why the chosen topic is important in environmental protection (big picture), (2) what are the specific questions of current interest that the proposed research aims to answer (research objectives), and (3) how the proposed research will be carried out. Students will then carry out trial laboratory experiments to refine/finalize the proposal and obtain preliminary results accordingly. The finalized proposal, together with the obtained preliminary results, will serve the blue print for the ensuing EMAP 518 Capstone Projects. At the end of the course, students are required to produce (1) a 5-min video that summarizes, (2) 10- to 15-min oral presentation of, and (3) a poster of (for the Q&A session), and (4) a comprehensive written report (in the format for peer-reviewed publications) of their independent research. (2) and (3) will take place at the Independent Research Symposium organized at the end of the course.