This proposal aims to provide undergraduate students with an immersive, hands-on experience in monitoring and analyzing microplastics pollution within the Raquette River watershed. Integrated into Clarkson University’s Adirondack Semester “ADK Experience” course, the program will train approximately 20 students in environmental sampling techniques, microplastics identification using microscopy and FTIR, and data interpretation. Through a multidisciplinary, field-to-lab approach, students will conduct weekly sampling at key locations along the Raquette River watershed, capturing seasonal variation and storm-driven dynamics. Students will also develop science communication skills by presenting their findings at Clarkson’s Research and Project Showcase (RAPS) and the CoE Healthy Water Solutions Annual Meeting. In collaboration with the Village of Potsdam and the local wastewater treatment plant, the project addresses a pressing environmental concern while preparing a new generation of environmentally literate professionals equipped to lead future water quality and sustainability efforts in New York State and beyond.
