Linking Community Service, Learning, and Environmental Analytical Chemistry

Since 1982, the lead author had been teaching a senior chemistry course entitled "Analytical chemistry of pollutants," in which students working in teams designed and executed field studies, including sampling, analysis, and reporting. In addition, for some years, the lead author had responded to community questions about environmental pollution issues, with mixed results. Some could be dealt with by the cooperation of students and by using existing equipment; others required capabilities that were not readily available. Thinking more widely about the opportunities that the new facilities would bring let to an action plan to marry the course resources to community needs in a classic example of public service-learning. The resulting 12 years of work has had a broad impact on teaching, research and service in environmental analytical chemistry at the University at Buffalo (UB) and in western New York.