KINGSTON, R.I. April 19, 20,22 Logan Beattie is a man who has always been interested in the environment. He remembers a trip he took as a 5-year-old to Fort Adams State Park, Newport.
“I remember walking along the shoreline and seeing plastic bags and other types of pollution in the water,” said Beattie, a junior at the University of Rhode Island who is majoring in civil engineering. “I had a conversation at the time with my older brother about how the pollution was detrimental to marine life.”
Beattie’s awareness and passion for environmental conservation and protection grew as he got older.
“It bothered me that pollution wasn’t being addressed with the urgency I felt it deserved,” said Beattie, who is from Tiverton. “This was especially frustrating having grown up in Rhode Island, where we pride ourselves on our beautiful shoreline and beaches. The lack of attention on the issue, coupled with my desire to solve large problems, sparked my interest in studying environmental engineering at URI.”
Beattie is minoring as a sustainability, mathematics, or environmental engineer.
Beattie, in addition to his classroom studies is analyzing the effect of some chemicals on treated waters at the Water for the World Environmental Engineering Laboratory (URI).
“I’m studying the interference effect that manganese oxides have on the detection of chlorine in treated water using diethyl-o-phenylenediamine and a spectrophotometer,” said Beattie.
Beattie first learned about the Water for the World Lab during an environmental engineering class that URI Assistant Professor taught last fall. Joseph Goodwill.
Taking what he’s learned so far, Beattie will participate in the 10-week Summer Undergraduate Research FellowshipColleen Suckling, assistant professor at URI in sustainable aquaculture, will be directing the program.
“I’ll work in a team with other students to capture samples of microplastic pollution and then study the impact it has on the environment,” said Beattie.
Beattie will spend 16 day in Jaco Beach, Costa Rica later in the summer to remove plastic pollution and other wastes from the ocean and beaches.
“I’ll learn about the unique challenges countries with fewer resources and financial flexibility have with solid waste management compared to more developed nations,” said Beattie.
Beattie’s trip will be funded by a Michael P. Metcalf Memorial Fellowship. Goodwill was one the mentors who wrote Beattie support letters for the fellowship.
Goodwill said Logan has all the right qualities to make a significant impact on the world: hustle and grit, curiosity, and trustworthiness.
Beattie hopes the fellowship will provide him with a cultural experience that will help him achieve his long-term goal to implement more sustainable waste management practices as well as environmentally friendly materials to reduce the negative effects of anthropogenic pollution.
“This experience will benefit me as an engineer and provide the cross-culture competencies I need to make the global impact I’ve dreamed of making,” said Beattie.