Murray State continues to lead $1.5 million environmental science initiative for regional high school students

MURRAY, Ky. — Under the leadership of Principal Investigator and Associate Provost Dr. Renee Fister, Murray State University is utilizing a $1.5 million Department of Energy (DOE) grant to integrate advanced environmental science into the curriculum at McCracken County High School (MCHS).

This Murray State-led initiative provides students with elite opportunities to apply classroom theory to real-world environmental challenges at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant site. A cornerstone of the project is the ASER Student Summary, where students translate complex federal data into accessible visual formats for the public. Directed by Project Director Alexandra Sherwood, the program bridges the gap between high school STEM and professional scientific communication by allowing students to manage real-world research data.

On Jan. 7, students and faculty participated in a comprehensive site visit to the DOE Paducah Site. DOE Engineer Mitchell Guthrie and his team provided an exceptional experience, offering students an immersive look at the environmental monitoring and engineering processes that protect the western Kentucky region.

"This initiative is designed to move students beyond the textbook and into the professional field," noted Principal Investigator Dr. Renee Fister. "Through the technical expertise and hospitality provided by Mitchell Guthrie and the DOE team, these students are seeing the direct impact of their research. Murray State is proud to facilitate this vital workforce development pipeline for McCracken County."

Building on Success

This year’s collaboration with McCracken County High School continues the momentum established during the program's inaugural year. In 2024, Murray State partnered with students from Paducah Tilghman and the Innovation Hub, who pioneered the program’s data visualization goals. Their work culminated in professional research posters exhibited at the Murray State University Paducah Regional Campus at the end of the spring 2025 semester. Following this successful model, MCHS students will also present their final research findings in a similar exhibition later this year.