Case Study on "Environmental Engineering -- Contrails Are an Exhaust"

Quoted Instructions for "Environmental Engineering -- Contrails Are an Exhaust" Assignment:

This is the title of the case study- [Transport or transport systems (e.g. contrails from passenger airliners or exposure to fumes for ground staff at airports)].

Each student is expected to generate a case study on the use of an advanced material, process or manufacturing route (or product). The aim of the case study is to evaluate the environmental impact and to identify, if any, consequences that result, whether mitigating factors are used and if so whether these are sufficient. You should view yourself as an independent assessor and present a balanced case. You are NOT an advocate for one side or the other! The key to doing well is to develop a fresh perspective or understanding of the salient issues at hand not necessarily providing solutions! The case study should use a mix of tools and techniques to gain further insight in to the use of the material, product, process or manufacturing route. It may be that you consider the actions taken to mitigate the environmental impact considerably outweigh the risks to Society. On the other hand, it may be that you consider that in certain circumstances the environmental impact is undervalued and has not been fully considered. The choice of topic for the case study can be fairly flexible. The emphasis on these assignments is on the use of tools and techniques rather on the technical detail of the material or process chosen. Please refrain from simple regurgitation of the facts, but try instead to provide logical arguments by using the information available to support your use of the tools and techniques. Assumptions can be made, but these must be stated in any report. Do not rely on the internet sources alone, but consult good quality sources such as journals and respected texts. Few, if any, marks will be given for referencing the web! Simply cutting and pasting from the web to your report will carry no marks as this is plagiarism and will be dealt with severely!

First report (1000 words plus any relevant calculations, models, appendices and references): Outline brief of the topic chosen for the case study highlighting the major issues /hazards involved (as a bulleted list) including the identification of possible environmental impacts.

The emphasis for the report should be on the justification for further study, highlighting the key questions to be answered, and demonstrating the *****richness***** associated with the problem4, i.e. the wide scope to evaluate the various environmental aspects associated with the case study. Typically, the first report should make use of diagrams, e.g. *****rich picture*****, to reflect the breadth of issues. The report must also give a draft plan5 for the second report as an appendix (this should reflect your work plan in developing your case study).

You may decide to use the above list as section titles, but please remember all reports should start with an introduction and finish with a summary or conclusions. In thinking about your report, it may be useful to take on-board the following tips.

Be very clear about what constitutes the *****problem definition***** at the beginning (remembering that a *****˜mess***** can itself be a problem). If any diagram, picture or illustration is constructed / used, it is important to introduce the figure in the text of your report and comment on how it helps your analysis.

In presenting issues and hazards, be very clear how these were derived and also what sources were used in creating the list. You may also wish to rank the hazards.

The key questions should be closely coupled with the major issues / hazards identified.

These are the questions you hope to derive answers for in the second report.

The draft plan is a structure of the proposed second report similar to a contents page, but with some further details or indications on the content of each section. Simply putting

Introduction, Discussion, Conclusions, etc. will be insufficient.

Last, but not least, take care in preparing your report. Have you checked the presentation, page numbers, spelling, titles, font, font size, etc.?

Your report, as an independent expert, must convince the general reader that the most important critical impacts have been considered and whether they are being managed appropriately or whether regulatory intervention is required.

Your report should be written in an impersonal and objective style. It should also keep to the word limit specified and be of a professional standard, i.e. title page, contents, page numbering, each figure has a figure number / caption / source, etc. The advice here is to structure your report to maximise the use of appendices and to write in a concise, succinct and professional style which provides robust, coherent and logical arguments. Your report MUST include, as Appendix 1, your original annotated first report returned, and as Appendix 2 a list of the concepts (from the course) which have been used in your study and for which you are claiming credit. In adding your original report as an appendix, this gives you the option of referencing sections without repeating the text in the main report ***** use it to your advantage!

Some Tips

After you have chosen your study, begin by thinking about the following questions and perhaps reflecting the answers you get in a rich picture.

What is the actual problem here? Are there several problems?

Whose problem is it?

Who else is affected?

How did it arise?

What is needed? What outcomes are required?

What information do we have? What is missing?

Where can information be located about this issue?

How reliable are the sources of information?

What are the barriers to solving the problem?

Has this problem ever occurred before?

What solutions were attempted? How successful were they?

What would be the best way to present the findings? Are there any expectations about this?

And finally, it is always useful to remember Kipling*****s *****I keep six honest serving men*****

I keep six honest serving men

(They taught me all I knew) *****

Their names are what and why and when

And How and Where and Who

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