CMOP/Saturday Academy Class: Dangerous Waters

Between water-related diseases, natural disasters and human-created water hazards, water is the leading cause of death in the world.

Investigate waterborne and water-associated illnesses such as malaria, yellow fever, Giardia, liver fluke, Cholera and guinea worm by looking at how organisms infect the body and what environmental conditions impact infection. You will design your own pathogen in class and compete to see which organisms are most infectious.

Learn about natural disasters such as tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, limnal eruptions, and necessary emergency responses and recovery strategies. Then travel to Oregon State University’s O.H. Hinsdale Wave Research Laboratory in Corvallis, where you will learn how scientists study waves and their impact on coastal regions.

Finally, discover why the Columbia River is the most radioactive river on earth, and how shampoo and toothpaste may hurt aquatic ecosystems. You will become “debris detectives,” sorting and identifying human-created water hazards. This class is offered through the Center for Coastal Margin Observation and Prediction (CMOP) located at OHSU Institute of Environmental Health and Saturday Academy.

Instructor: Rachel Golda

Rachel Golda received her BS in biology from Saint Martin's University and her MS in environmental science and engineering from OHSU in 2011. She is currently a PhD student at OHSU.

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