WSLH Welcomes UW Engineering Summer Program

In late July, more than 30 participants and counselors from the UW-Madison Engineering Summer Program (ESP) toured the WSLH Environmental Health Division laboratories and heard a talk about WSLH water research.

ESP is a six-week residential program for students who will be high school juniors or seniors in the upcoming school year and are interested in majoring in engineering in college. The ESP Program is targeted to high school students from groups traditionally under-represented in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) field. The students come from across the country to attend the program.

This year’s program had a water theme, so the WSLH was contacted about hosting a tour and talk.

The visit was arranged by Jan Klawitter and Dr. Curt Hedman (who also gave the water research talk).

Tour guides in each lab were Camille Turcotte (Environmental Toxicology), Jeremy Olstadt (Water Microbiology), Susan Percy (Radiochemistry), Noel Stanton and Matt Roach (Organic Chemistry and Chemical Emergency Response), Dr. Pat Gorski (Inorganic Chemistry) and DeWayne Kennedy-Parker (Metals).

Feedback from the visit was excellent, and the WSLH may become an annual visit for the ESP program.

Scenes from the visit –

 

Looking at water fleas in the WSLh environmental toxicology laboratory.

Looking at water fleas in the WSLH environmental toxicology laboratory.

 
WSLH Inorganic Chemistry Section Director Dr. Pat Gorski talks about inorganic chemistry and trace elements testing and research.

WSLH Inorganic Chemistry Section Director Dr. Pat Gorski talks about inorganic chemistry and trace elements testing and research.

WSLH Environmental Microbiologist Jeremy Olstadt explains the coliform bacteria and E. coli testing performed in the WSLH water microbiology laboratory.

WSLH Environmental Microbiologist Jeremy Olstadt explains the coliform bacteria and E. coli testing performed in the WSLH water microbiology laboratory.