Teaching and Outreach

Outreach – Grassian Group

Professor Grassian and her group are involved in a range of activities related to teaching and outreach. Mentoring and training the next generation of future scientists are important to all group members. Research focus areas of the Grassian group (environment, climate, health, nanoscience) are of broad interest to a variety of active learners that includes elementary school/middle school/junior high school students and their parents, high school students and retirees. Grassian group members have opportunities to give talks, interact, demonstrate and teach about their research and its benefits to society. Specific projects and volunteer opportunities that group members have recently been engaging with are given below.

Collaborative Learning through Environmental and Aerosol Research (CLEAR)– Several members of the Grassian group have served and are serving as mentors for the CLEAR program. This outreach involves collaborating with high schools and colleges to equip their students with aerosol measurement instrumentation and data. This allows the students to develop their own science questions under the guidance of their CLEAR mentor. Recently, students have been using Purple Air sensor data to investigate a variety of topics, including correlations between air quality and income, the impacts of extreme weather events, and temporal variations in coastal aerosol concentrations.

Climate Science & Atmospheric Chemistry Trunk - The Climate Science & Atmospheric Chemistry Trunk, also called the BriefCAICE, was created out of partnership with the Climate Kids program of the Climate Science Alliance. The goal of the program is to improve student understanding of key climate concepts and help broadly distribute information to the public at all levels. Members of the Grassian group assisted in the development and testing of the BriefCAICE, and have filmed demonstrations highlighting atmospheric chemistry concepts.

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Climate Council - Grassian group members have served as graduate student representatives for the past two years of the new Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Climate (EDIC) Council. Efforts have been aimed at improving the graduate mentorship program , establishing funding to support students in challenging financial situations, and several additional measures working toward justice in UCSD academic research efforts.

Scripps Community Outreach for Public Education - Scripps Community Outreach for Public Education (SCOPE) is a student-led, volunteer-driven, outreach program that connects graduate students and researchers directly with the general public. Members of the Grassian group have been involved in making educational videos with SCOPE.

English in Action - The English in Action (EIA) program of the UCSD International programs is designed to help adjust new incoming international students to the culture of the United States. The program is also dedicated to help student improve their English language skills. Several members of the Grassian group are serving as EIA mentors/ discussion leaders.

UCSD Scientific board game designing group - The UCSD Scientific board game designing group is focused on designing board games for educational purposes. The board game designs are focused on STEM subjects and at all ages up to the college level. Members of the Grassian Group are involved in designing several educational board games and game units for museum exhibitions.

City of San Diego Volunteers for Parks and Recreation - Members of the Grassian Group are involved with the volunteer programs held by the City of San Diego Parks and Recreation. These programs are focused on maintaining the canyons and hiking trails around the city in order to keep them clean and tidy. Further, restoration and revegetation of some of the canyons are also done through these volunteer projects, promoting sustainability and community environmental health.

Chemists without Boarders - Chemists Without Borders (CWB) works to solve humanitarian problems by mobilizing the resources and expertise of the global chemistry community and its networks. CWB works toward solutions for a variety of problems, including poor water quality, maldistribution of medicines and vaccines, and lack of chemical education. Members of the Grassian group are involved in these projects led by the CWB.

Teaching, Curriculum Development and Mentoring – VH Grassian

Professor Grassian teaches a wide range of courses at UC San Diego. In academic year 2016/2017, she will be teaching courses in Chemistry & Biochemistry and Nanoengineering including:

CHEM 171. Environmental Chemistry I – An introduction to chemical concerns in nature with emphases on atmospheric issues like air pollution, chlorofluorocarbons and the ozone hole, greenhouse effects and climate change, impacts of radioactive waste, sustainable resource usage, and risks and benefits of energy sources. Students may not receive credit for both Chem 149A and Chem 171. Prerequisites: Chem 6C or 6CH.

New Course in Nanoengineering

Title: Environmental Nanotechnology, Sustainable Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicity – This course covers the implications of nanoscience and nanotechnology on environmental processes and human health as well as sustainable design, development and use of nanotechnologies. Given that the development of nanotechnology-based consumer products is predicted to grow substantially in the next 10 years and beyond, it is clear that there will be issues and questions that need to be addressed related to the potential impact this technology will have on the environment, living organism, and human health. Sustainable nanotechnology requires the understanding of how nanomaterials enter, migrate and undergo transformations as they move through various environmental and toxicological behavior. Therefore, an understanding of fundamental properties of nanomaterials and their role in nanomaterial environmental processes and health are critical. In particular, this course will focus on fundamental properties of nanomaterials as well as the environmental applications and implications; life cycle implications; characterization in biological and environmental media; environmental and biological interactions; fate, reactivity, biological uptake and nanotoxicity.

Professor Grassian has taught a wide range of classes at the University of Iowa that crosses departments and colleges including:

Chemistry Courses: 4:007 - General Chemistry I, 4:14 - Principles of Chemistry II, 4:16 - Principles of Chemistry Laboratory (now combined as 4:12), 4:131 - Physical Chemistry I, 4:132 - Physical Chemistry II, 4:238 - Surface Chemistry and Heterogeneous Processes, 4:242 - Statistical Mechanics, 4:191 Graduate Chemistry Orientation

Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Courses: 52:195 Surface Analysis: Contemporary Topics: Chem & Biochem Engr taken by graduate students in engineering.

Environmental Sciences Courses: 159:010/100 – Environmental Sciences Seminar (taken by undergraduate environmental sciences B.S. majors).

Additionally, at the University of Iowa, Professor Grassian has mentored over one hundred students in her laboratory including twenty two students who have received their PhDs under her guidance. Two of her Ph.D. students received distinguished dissertation awards from the Graduate College. She has mentored and worked with nearly thirty postdoctoral and visiting scientists. Many of her students have gone on to develop research programs in the chemistry of environmental interfaces as well as in energy at academic institutions and national laboratories. Some students have gone into industry and have specialized in instrumentation development. In 2008, Professor Grassian received the Outstanding Graduate Student Mentor Award in recognition of her engagement and efforts as a mentor to students.

Professor Grassian has also been involved in several curriculum initiatives including the development of the chemical sciences track of the B.S. degree program in environmental science and has advised other faculty on developing similar programs at their institutions. She has directed two NSF-funded REU programs including the interdisciplinary program on Environmental Systems through the Center for Global and Regional Environmental Research. Because of these initiatives and her excellence in scholarship, she has been the recipient of the Regents Award for Faculty Excellence in 2006.