Development of an educational partnership for enhancement of a computer risk assessment model
- Mesa State Coll., Grand Junction, CO (United States). Dept. of Physics and Environmental Sciences
- Pacific Northwest Lab., Richland, WA (United States)
The Multimedia Environmental Pollutant Assessment System (MEPAS) is a computer program which evaluates exposure pathways for chemical and radioactive releases according to their potential human health impacts. MEPAS simulates the exposure pathways through standard source-to-receptor transport principles using, a multimedia approach (air, groundwater, overland flow, soil, surface water) in conjunction with specific chemical exposure considerations. This model was originally developed by Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to prioritize environmental concerns at potentially contaminated US Department of Energy (DOE) sites. Currently MEPAS is being used to evaluate a range of environmental problems which are not restricted to DOE sites. A partnership was developed between PNL and Mesa State College during 1991. This partnership involves the use of undergraduate students, faculty, and PNL personnel to complete enhancements to MEPAS. This has led to major refinements to the original MEPAS shell for DOE in a very cost-effective manner. PNL was awarded a 1993 Federal Laboratory Consortium Award and Mesa State College was awarded an Environmental Restoration and Waste Management Distinguished Faculty Award from DOE in 1993 as a result of this collaboration. The college has benefited through the use of MEPAS within laboratories and through the applied experience gained by the students. Development of this partnership will be presented with the goal of allowing other DOE facilities to replicate this program. It is specifically recommended that DOE establish funded programs which support this type of a relationship on an ongoing basis. Additionally, specific enhancements to MEPAS will be presented through computer display of the program.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- OSTI ID:
- 100312
- Report Number(s):
- PNL-SA-25713; CONF-950216-155; ON: DE95014191; TRN: 95:020277
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Waste management `95, Tucson, AZ (United States), 26 Feb - 2 Mar 1995; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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