Background: Faculty in nursing and history at Creighton University directed two service-learning courses on the history and public health implications of lead (Pb) exposure in Omaha, NE. As part of their service requirements, students conducted or observed blood lead screenings in area schools and reflected on these shared experiences in…

We provide context and motivation for an instructor to use real-life examples in the calculus classroom. To this end we describe two specific project ideas, one related to the devastating impact of methylmercury fungicide in a grain seed supply and the other to a catastrophic methane leak. By using calculus in contexts that have social justice…

Secondary schools in Maine and New Hampshire have been involved in a citizen science program called "All About Arsenic" aimed at addressing arsenic contamination of well water, one of the most pressing public health issues in both states. Nearly half of the population of Maine and New Hampshire derive their drinking water from private…

Portland Public Schools serves nearly 50,000 students in 90 schools averaging 77 years of age. Building age combined with decades of deferred maintenance created serious health and safety issues, numerous unfavorable media reports, and an irate public. In response, PPS Board of Directors commissioned an independent evaluation of various…

Advocates for civil rights, environmental justice, and movements promoting social justice require data and may lack trust in public authorities, turning instead to academic scientists to help address their questions. Assessing historical exposure to toxic chemicals, especially in situations of a specific industrial source of pollution affecting a…

In seeking an avenue to save money, an urban city made a choice to alter the drinking water for its residents and created a crisis, which all community stakeholders were unprepared to address. The Flint water crisis has been given national attention by celebrities and politicians, but the long-term issues related to families, children, and…

Rapid growth in nanoscience and nanotechnology in recent years has been accompanied by studies of the toxicity and potential impacts of nanomaterials on human health and the environment, but less has been done concerning education in this area. There is therefore a need for courses that address this theme at universities worldwide, in order to…

The environmental issues surrounding agrochemical products facing people today include serious health and ecological problems. Scientific literacy is necessary for students to understand scientific knowledge and get ready for the future world. Therefore, this action research aims to promote scientific literacy, in the area of plant growth by using…