UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN OUR COMMUNITY : Development of a Low Cost Program to Measure

1. UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH IN OUR COMMUNITY: Development of a Low Cost Program to Measure Radon Concentrations in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District, Palos Verdes Estates, California Lauren E. Fukumoto Joseph S. Duval Joseph M. Fukumoto 2003 GSA Annual Meeting & Exposition November 2-5, 2003 Seattle, Washington

2. Presentation Layout Laboratory Location Generate Project Plan Assessment of Resources Cost & Labor Estimates PLAN Background Literature Work Measurements Required Initial Concept Clearances, Approval, Legal Considerations Presentations, Publications Measurement Execution Data Analysis Develop Expert Contacts ACTUAL Generate Project Plan Laboratory Location Cost & Labor Estimates Assessment of Resources Background Literature Work Measurements Required Initial Concept Presentations, Publications Measurement Execution Data Analysis Clearances, Approval, Legal Considerations Develop Expert Contacts

3. Initial Concept • General area of problem choice: Usually wiser to consider • a problem that can be understood and defined with a focused • literature effort as opposed to one that would require years • of study to master fundamental physical concepts. • Major theme in low cost undergraduate research: Exchange • labor and good ideas for lab facilities, instrument access, and • analysis costs. • A carefully crafted, detailed research proposal addressing an • important problem has real value and can be leveraged for • services, support, and instrument use.

4. Background Literature Work • This is the single most important step; saves months of work. • Essential for: • 1. Defining the problem in detail. • 2. Learning what others have done and how they did it. • 3. Determining what hasn’t been done and what should be • done. • 4. Generating evidence that your approach is viable and • will result in new, noteworthy data. • 5.Identifying key individuals for opinions and suggestions. • 6. Establishing what approaches are sound, what are ques- • tionable, and why.

5. Assessment of Resources • Your project and its success will be largely determined by the • resources available to you. At the outset you should consider: • 1. What instruments can you access, what is their availability? • 2. Consider trading your labor for learning to operate specialized • instruments. • 3. Key contacts willing to donate instruments, labor, analysis? • What’s in it for them? • 4. Government grant funding turn-around time is usually greater • than 9 months; more rapid funding may be available through • local clubs, agencies, professional societies. • 5. Securing funding after a successful preliminary study is easier • than prior to results.

6. Developing Expert Contacts • Expert contact development is critical, but time-consuming. You • should first become well read in the field. Experts can: • 1. Critique your approach and assess importance of possible • outcomes. • 2. Suggest key papers/literature sources for approach modifica- • tion or refinement. • 3. Guide you to avoid non-obvious pitfalls. • 4. Give real-time feedback during data collection. • 5. Recommend conferences and/or journals for presentations. • 6. Help promote your work through professional networks, • committees, conferences.

7. Laboratory Location Considerations • Work at distant laboratory very costly due to travel time and • travel costs. • Coordination of schedules with laboratory personnel is added • complication. • Should consider access to lab during off-hours, liability issues, • clearances.

8. Measurement Considerations • Carefully executed measurements are typically your most • valuable contribution and the most costly program element. • Think carefully about: • 1. Type of measurements required, amount of measurements • needed, access to critical instruments. • 2. Cost of instruments and training vs. contract laboratory use. • 3. Sample preparation costs and logistics; turn-around time. • 4. Packaging and shipping costs. • How do you know if your measurements are trustworthy? • Be aware of relevant protocols, references and standards, • laboratory certifications and standards.

9. Cost and Labor Estimates • Costs to consider: • 1. Contract lab use, instruments, sample preparation. • 2. Packaging & shipping, literature searches, Xeroxing, • reference materials. • 3. Travel, conference fees, phone, fax, internet. • 4. Meetings with regulatory and local agencies, meeting • presentations. • 5. Consultant, support personnel labor. • Travel only when absolutely necessary. • Trade your labor for use of instruments and/or supplies • whenever possible to minimize costs.

10. Clearances, Approvals, Legal Issues • Identify agencies needed to approve and/or support project: • Districts, commissions • City, county, state agency approvals • Societies, associations, unions • Agencies that might offer grants or service support • Identify individuals within key agencies whose approvals are • required for project commencement. • Filling out and filing approval forms: Lead times can be signi- • ficant, must plan and submit in advance if necessary. • Thorough knowledge of legal and political issues can be used • to your advantage.

11. Generate Project Plan • A project plan is useful for: • 1. Keeping focused on the right task at the right time. • 2. Controlling costs and budgeting time. • 3. Organizing and coordinating efforts of team members. • 4. Communicating your intentions and execution strategy • to key individuals, agencies, and organizations. • Milestone timeline will help track progress and alert you • for deadlines that must be met. • Cost projections for various project tasks will help you • control costs and keep on budget during the course of • the program.

12. Measurement Execution, Data Analysis • Preparation is the key to a successful measurement run: • 1. Mentally project the detailed steps you need to take. • 2. Do as many tasks ahead of time as possible to minimize • the number of steps during measurements. • 3. Have detailed contingency plans and supplies ready. • 4. You may have limited access to critical instruments and/or • facilities, so make your usage time count. • The quality of the data is paramount and your primary • responsibility; it must be of the highest quality possible. • If your findings are significant, your approach and data will • be very carefully scrutinized.

13. Presentations, Publications • Ask expert contacts, search web for relevant conferences, • journals to present results. • Contact conference chairs, session chairs to discuss results • and suitability of data for presentation/publication. • Prepare presentation/manuscript for specific target audience; • review by expert contacts prior to submission. • Review of rough draft by session chairs can help refine • presentation/manuscript. • Watch travel costs, conference registration fees, manuscript • fees.

14. Initial Concept • Radon concepts were mastered in a few months with thorough • background literature reading and the help of radon experts. • California Department of Health Services (CDHS) provided • free radon detectors and analysis in exchange for organizing • radon measurements in the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified • School District (PVPUSD). • A two-page proposal was sent to the PVPUSD outlining • information about radon, why the school district should be • tested, and our measurement plan. Cost: ~ $200 Labor: ~ 2 m-w

15. Background Literature Work • Background literature review took about 8 man weeks, and • most literature was found online. • We estimated that there was a high probability of elevated • indoor radon concentrations in the PVPUSD classrooms, • based on a small number of residential measurements. • We identified and contacted key individual such as Dr. Joe • Duval from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), • Dr. Ron Churchill from the California Geological Survey • (CGS), and Mr. Richard Blood from the CDHS. All were • instrumental in the success of the project. Cost: ~ $380 Labor: ~ 8 m-w

16. Assessment of Resources • Mr. Richard Blood provided detectors and analysis; the • PVPUSD provided us with manpower and access to their • classrooms. • We did not need any instrument or lab access. • We are currently pursuing government funding to expand • the project, based on our current results. Cost: 0 Labor: ~ 2 m-w

17. Developing Expert Contacts • Mr. Richard Blood, Head of the California Radon Project, • CDHS • Dr. Ron Churchill, Senior Geologist, CSG • Dr. Joe Duval, Senior Geologist, USGS • Mr. Bruce Auld, Deputy Superintendent, PVPUSD • Dr. Stuart Salot, Radon Consultant for the PVPUSD Cost: ~ $500 Labor: ~ 5 m-w

18. Laboratory Location Considerations • CDHS contracted Alpha Energy Laboratories for radon • detector analysis. • No direct laboratory usage was necessary. Cost: 0 Labor: ~ 0.5 m-w

19. Measurement Considerations • 500+ measurements taken. • Used short-term activated charcoal detectors (typically cost • $10 per detector). • Closely followed US EPA Indoor Radon Measurement • Protocol. • Total shipping costs ~ $1000 - more than anticipated. • Alpha Energy Laboratories calibrates detectors every 6 • months in insure accuracy. Cost: 0 Labor: ~ 3 m-w

20. Cost and Labor Estimates • Total project cost to date: $6,080 • Total project labor to date: 46 man-weeks. • Background reading, expert contacts, actual measurements, • and publications/presentations took longer than expected. • District approval of project and turn around time for analysis • of radon detectors was faster than expected. • Conference/travel costs exceeded initial estimates due to the • success of the project. Cost: 0 Labor: ~ 0.5 m-w

21. Clearances, Approvals, Legal Issues • We needed support from the CDHS (to provide detectors) • and PVPUSD approval for school site access. Support from • CDHS took about 2 months, and approval from PVPUSD • took about 3 weeks. • We were also supported by the USGS, especially Dr. Joe • Duval, and Dr. Ron Churchill from the CGS. Cost: 0 Labor: ~ 1 m-w

22. Measurement Execution, Data Analysis • We carefully planned out each measurement run by bringing • extra supplies, preparing detectors beforehand, and • confirming support personal. • To ensure accurate measurements, we checked with Alpha • Energy Labs for calibration frequency and dates. • Directly followed US EPA Indoor Radon Measurement • Protocol, which requires 5% of the measurements to be • blanks, and 10% to be doubles. • For any significantly high readings, we retested to insure we • could repeat the data. Cost:~ $1,000 Labor: ~ 18 m-w

23. Presentations, Publications • We contacted Mr. John Mallon (2003 American Association • of Radon Scientists and Technicians conference chair), and • presented a paper at the 2003 AARST Conference in • Nashville, Tennessee. • Dr. Joe Duval is working on a USGS web publication. • We are presenting two posters at the current 2003 GSA • Conference. • We are looking into submitting a paper for the 2004 Health • Physics Society Annual Meeting in Washington D.C., and • have contacted Dr. Andrew Karam, a Director of the Health • Physics Society. Cost: ~ $4,000 Labor: ~ 6 m-w