Eastern Student Sydney Day of Columbia Participates in Environmental Earth Science Undergraduate Research Project

2014 Sep 4

Sydney Day '17 of Columbia, CT, recently completed an undergraduate research project related to her major in environmental earth science.

She worked under the guidance of Eastern Professor Catherine Carlson. Her project entailed studying Park Spring at Alex Caisse Park in Willimantic. She collected daily data at the spring that will be used to learn more about where the water originates, how long it has been in the ground and which types of rock the water travels through. Daily collection included a test for specific conductivity, or the capacity to conduct electricity. She also collected an unfiltered sample of the spring water each week in order to test it for for chloride levels.

According to Day, "Experience outside the classroom is beneficial in just about every way. The aspect of undergraduate research that I have found to be most enlightening and beneficial is the opportunity to experience being what I want to become -- a scientist. I get to be part of a conversation that will be applied to real research -- we are working toward understanding and so far, it has served to reinforce my belief in myself that a degree in science is an attainable goal and that it is intellectually rewarding."

Day hopes to pursue a masters degree in a field related to her major after graduation.