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• WSSS is supported by the Tufts Institute of the Environment


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Practicum

The WSSS Practicum is a chance for WSSS students to work in a small group on the integrated assessment of a water resources case study. The goal of the practicum is to expose students to the techniques and thought processes of integrated assessment in order to train them as researchers and professionals. The 2012 WSSS Practicum is on the Aberjona River in Massachusetts and Aida Camp in Bethlehem. Prior years have explored water quality and related health concerns in the Mystic River and surrounding regions. The practicum is headed by Rusty Russell of the Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning Department and input from other participating WSSS faculty.

WSSS 2012 Aberjona River Practicum Group at Lexington Public Works

2012 WSSS Practicums

Targeting Stormwater Best Management Practices in the Aberjona River Watershed

Students
Glennon Beresin, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Laura Crossley, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Gabrielle Gareau, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Yudan Jiang, School of Engineering
Faith Wanjiru Kuria, School of Engineering
Kathryn Olson, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Anne Sexton, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Jeff Walker, School of Engineering
Ruiruo Wu, School of Engineering
Shuo Zhao, School of Engineering

Faculty Advisors
Robert Russell, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning
Richard Vogel, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

The Aberjona River, a major tributary to the Mystic River, suffers from numerous water quality problems due to non-point source pollution such as stormwater runoff. The goal of this project is to identify suitable sites for stormwater best management practices (BMPs) that will address pollutants such as suspended solids and phosphorus. Potential sites will be prioritized based on water quality assessments, GIS analysis, site surveys, and a collaborative decision making process. We will focus on solutions based on the principles of low impact development (LID), also known as ‘green’ BMPs, such as rain gardens, green roofs, porous pavement and constructed wetlands. We have partnered with the Mystic River Watershed Association, city engineers from Winchester, Reading, Burlington and Woburn, and the Bioengineering Group to identify cost-effective solutions for reducing stormwater pollution to improve the health, safety and quality of life in our local watershed and community.

Democratizing Water: Engaging Youth and Women in Improving Water Systems in the West Bank

Students
Franklin Crump, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Stephanie Galaitsis, School of Engineering
Elliot Hohn, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Margaret Holmes, Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Kate McMahon, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy
Jessica Morrison, School of Engineering
Adam Weinberg, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

Faculty Advisors
Amahl Bishara, Department of Anthropology
Annette T. Huber-Lee, Independent Scholar and Senior Advisor, Stockholm Environment Institute
John Durant, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Robert Russell, Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning

The dearth of water in the West Bank of Israel means that many people rely on water from multiple sources of questionable quality, resulting in problems with water-borne illnesses. Our group of seven interdisciplinary graduate students and three faculty advisors plans to establish a program to test and improve water quality in Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem that can be replicated in other parts of the West Bank. Coordinating with the Lajee Center, a local community based organization and the Palestinian Water Authority, we will train youth and women to conduct volunteer water quality testing and maintain a water quality testing program. This will include a workshop on how to identify effective strategies to reduce risks associated with poor water quality. In addition, we will use social surveying techniques to gather data and learn more about how the 2,700 residents of Aida Camp endeavor to obtain clean and safe water.

2012 WSSS Practicum Participants

Past Practicums

2012 Practicum

2011 Practicum

2010 Practicum

2009 Practicum

2008 Practicum

The Water: Systems, Science and Society (WSSS) program is a graduate research and education program that provides Tufts students with interdisciplinary perspectives and tools to manage water-related problems around the world.

617.627.3645 | wsss@tufts.edu | WSSS, c/o Tufts Institute of the Environment | 210 Packard Ave | Medford, MA