Environmental and Social Injustices of the Flint, MI Water Crisis: A General Chemistry Exercise

Abstract

A two-week exercise on the Flint, MI water crisis was developed for high school and undergraduate students in introductory chemistry courses. During the first week of the exercise, students learn the chemistry of lead contamination while reviewing concepts learned previously in the course. During the second week, the students participate in discussions focused on the environmental and social injustices experienced by the people of Flint, MI. The exercise was introduced in the fall of 2020 with 101 students in three different general chemistry courses and in one course with 44 students in the spring of 2021. Student feedback from these exercises was positive with participants sharing that they felt engaged with chemistry beyond the classroom and appreciated the real-life applications. The lab activities can be and have been modified to meet the needs of different student demographics and alignment with curriculum. The authors see the value in incorporating more introductory chemistry exercises to include environmental and social injustice case studies to diversify the STEM narrative in higher education.

Navigating the Future of Separation Science Education: A Perspective

“…In terms of specific course concepts, the outcomes of sample measurements can be directly related to social justice. For example, the identification of lead in water samples related to the Flint water crisis can be used to demonstrate equilibrium concepts and heavy metal analysis, while also discussing equity and access in policymaking [ 19 , 20 ]. Educational training can also be used to help serve communities in need of analytical testing, as students can analyze real-world samples for quality or safety purposes.…”

Flint, Michigan, Water Crisis as an Upper-Division First Day of Class Activity and Introduction to Primary Literature

“…9 The Flint, MI, water crisis has been a topic of several previously published pedagogical activities. It has been used as a multiweek case study in general chemistry 10 and analytical chemistry classes, 11 and as an outreach activity. 12 Shorter activities include a lab-based case study in an analytical chemistry class 13 and a case study in introductory environmental engineering.…”

Engaging Chemistry Undergraduates in Conversations About Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Development of a Discussion Assignment Based on the Documentary Picture A Scientist

“…As part of our ongoing efforts to imbue our introductory chemistry curriculum with environmental and social justice issues, we set out to develop an assignment in our introductory organic chemistry course that focuses on the experiences of underrepresented people in STEM. In a previous successful endeavor arising out of conversations with students during the beginning of the pandemic, the first author designed a scaffolded two-lab series for general chemistry that uses the Flint, Michigan water pollution crisis to connect general chemistry principles with a very tangible real-world scenario …”

“…In a previous successful endeavor arising out of conversations with students during the beginning of the pandemic, the first author designed a scaffolded two-lab series for general chemistry that uses the Flint, Michigan water pollution crisis to connect general chemistry principles with a very tangible real-world scenario. 9 In considering how we might devise this exercise, we were drawn to a recent documentary that highlights the harrowing experiences of women in STEM. Picture a Scientist follows the academic careers of three scientists and documents the persistent systemic gender bias, discrimination, and harassment that each of them has experienced.…”