VII. Case Study 2: Chupadera Mesa

The following captures the general instructions for the second collaborative case study:

Chupadera Mesa is located northeast of the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico and downwind from the first atomic weapon test in US history, the Trinity Test of July 16th 1945. Since the late 1970s, it has been documented that the site is covered with "radioactive residue" from the test, and recent studies have emerged estimating the deposition density of unfissioned plutonium on Chupadera Mesa (Beck et al. 2019). This case study is focused on the environmental health vulnerability and environmental injustice of the legacy of nuclear weapons testing in the region. Each student will contribute at least two unique “artifacts” and contribute at least 200 words in typed response to any of the artifacts collected for the case study. Although the Google Doc will track our contributions, please include your full name and date below the artifact you contributed. During this collaborative process, students will begin to write their individual two-page (minimum) double-spaced reports, which will be submitted via the Assignments function in Canvas. Please see the syllabus regarding what count as "data" or "artifacts," in addition to the 10 Case Study Questions we will answer in this collaborative process. Remember: each artifact and response/analysis should relate in some way to the 10 questions. If you think of new research questions in the process, please add them as part of your 200+ word analysis. I encourage you to interact with your classmates beyond the Google Doc by whatever means is most convenient. This assignment will result in the fourth learning outcome of this course: "Work collaboratively to rapidly produce case study research using diverse digital tools to support research and collaboration."

(Link to Individual Report Rubric)