Centre students investigate poisons and pollution through real-world case studies

In Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry Reagan Witt's Poisons and Pollution CentreTerm course, students are discovering that environmental disasters aren't just historical footnotes — they're urgent lessons in science, policy and human responsibility.

This introductory course gives students a hands-on look at basic chemistry and toxicology by diving into real case studies. Students get to explore topics ranging from infamous poisonings in history to the environmental impacts of today’s AI data centers.

They’re also looking at some of the world's most devastating environmental and toxicological events. From the Flint, Michigan, water crisis to the BP oil spill, the course is designed to teach students not just the chemistry behind catastrophe, but how to prevent future ones.

"Sometimes when you learn science, you're looking for that connection to real-world impact," Witt said. "I really like environmental chemistry because I can more directly see how I'm changing people's lives when I solve a problem."

As a new professor at Centre, Witt created the course entirely from scratch, drawing on her background as an environmental and analytical chemist and a graduate-level environmental chemistry class that still ranks among her favorites.

"When I was taking classes like this, I was told that none of this would've happened if a chemist was looking over your shoulder,” said Witt. “For a lot of these scenarios, the science plays a huge role in why things went wrong."

Tiernan Moore, class of 2028, found himself drawn to the environmental aspect of the course, something he hadn't really explored before in his chemistry studies.

"It's been interesting learning about how much is out there that's harmful for the environment,” said Moore. “And then what is and isn’t being done for it. That’s something I hadn't really thought about before."

For seniors Ashley Higdon and Ryan Clements, the course offered a refreshing change of pace. Having both studied abroad in London in spring 2025, they brought their historical knowledge back to campus as they examined environmental disasters through a new lens.

"Last spring in London, we learned about the historical and the political side of the Great Smog of 1952," said Clements. "Now in this class, we focus more on the science — how they switched from high energy coal to low energy coal to conserve money, but didn't take into account the people it affected." 

"We get to learn more about how it affected people’s health, and how those impacts trend down to modern times," said Higdon. "It's interesting to learn not just about economics, but also about how science plays a role in society."

Beyond teaching chemistry, Witt emphasizes the complex reality of addressing environmental disasters. Economic constraints, public health concerns and social factors all play crucial roles in how communities respond to pollution and poisoning.

"Ideally, it would be great to say, just do whatever you have to do to get rid of all the poisons or the pollutants and make the world green and happy and lovely again.” explained Witt. “But there's a lot of reality behind it.

"There are economic constraints; these disasters often happen in lower-income areas that lack the resources for cleanup. There are also communities that may not have access to clear information about the science involved."

For Witt, the most rewarding part of teaching the course is watching students become as passionate about these issues as she is.

"One of the things I really like is being able to see the students learn about these scenarios and be as passionate about them as I have been,” said Witt. “I see them realize, you are now part of the population that can create change not just in chemistry but in whatever field you go into."