The College of the Environment commenced a new series of courses titled the Science and Management of Contaminated sites (SMoCS) and the Science, Management and Communication of Contaminated Sites (SMOCS) in January 2012, supported by an Interagency Agreement with the Washington State Department of Ecology Toxics Cleanup Program. The SMoCS series includes several courses that build knowledge of the contaminated site cleanup process in Washington State with an emphasis on how scientific investigations are conducted, use of the technical documents associated with cleanups, the roles of different parties in cleanup decisions, and enhanced professional skills.

Each winter, Dr. Ruth Sofield teaches a course on toxic site cleanup processes in Washington State, the roles of different parties in cleanup decisions, and professional skills.  In the spring, many of these students continue on to a project based course and are joined by Dr. Rebekah Paci-Green’s students. These environmental studies students bring skills in environmental journalism, policy, film and website creation. Together the students engage in student-directed learning, focused around group projects related to contaminated sites in Washington State. At the same time, they learn about the often challenging relationship between science, media and public knowledge. They tweet, they interview each other, and they find creative ways to showcase class laboratory experiments.

The program draws on several strengths of the College of the Environment and the SMoCS partners. Faculty from both the Environmental Science and Environmental Studies department at the College of the Environment work collaboratively to synthesize important discipline specific knowledge into interdisciplinary content, with faculty-directed exercises that encourage interactions between students. At the same time or in supporting courses, students focus within their discipline to obtain a depth of knowledge. The winter course uses a case study approach focused on one site that is being cleaned up with guidance and oversight by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) Toxics Cleanup Program. Representatives of Ecology, the site Potentially Liable Party(ies), the managing scientists and engineers, legal counsel, tribes, and the public (all as available) deliver lectures on different aspects of the site and cleanup process in the context of the Model Toxics Control Act (MTCA).

To be added to the SMoCS e-mail list, please e-mail ruth.sofield(at)wwu.edu and put “SMoCS e-mail list” in the subject heading. Other suggestions for the program, offers to contribute, or needs for interns/employees from this program can also be directed to Ruth Sofield or Rebekah Paci-Green .