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10th Grade  Project 6 weeks

BioGuard NYC: Legionella Busters

Sarah F
Updated
HS-LS2-7
HS-ETS1-2
HS-ETS1-1
HS-LS4-6
HS-LS2-7
+ 9 more
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The Challenge

You live in a city where aging water systems, warm stagnant water, and inconsistent monitoring can allow Legionella bacteria to grow in cooling towers and large residential plumbing, increasing the risk of Legionnaires’ disease outbreaks. This matters beyond any one building because delayed detection can lead to severe pneumonia, hospitalization, death, public distrust, and disproportionate health impacts in densely populated communities.

Challenge Question

How might we address Legionnaires’ disease risk in NYC Housing Authority residential water systems so that apartment residents can be protected through earlier, low-cost detection of high-risk contamination?

Standards

  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-LS2-7 - Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-ETS1-2 - Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-ETS1-1 - Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-LS4-6 - Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-LS2-7 - Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-ETS1-3 - Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-ETS1-2 - Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-ETS1-4 - Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] HS-LS4-6 - Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.
  • [Next Generation Science Standards] 9-12.AF.1.2 - Evaluate a question to determine if it is testable and relevant. (a) Ask questions that can be investigated within the scope of the school laboratory, research facilities, or field (e.g., outdoor environment) with available resources and, when appropriate, frame a hypothesis based on a model or theory. (b) Ask and/or evaluate questions that challenge the premise(s) of an argument, the interpretation of a data set, or the suitability of a design. (c) Define a design problem that involves the development of a process or system with interacting components and criteria and constraints that may include social, technical, and/or environmental considerations.

Competencies

  • Academically Prepared - Demonstrates a strong foundation in the New York State learning standards and is equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve success in college, careers, civic engagement, service, and life.
  • Global Citizen - Acts responsibly and ethically within local, global, and digital communities, employing civic knowledge, skills, and mindsets to promote global sustainability and contribute positively to a culturally diverse, democratic society.
  • Critical Thinker - Analyzes information thoughtfully, evaluates evidence critically, and identifies patterns and connections between different pieces of information (across multiple content areas) to address complex issues and navigate the world with insight.
  • Reflective and Future Focused - Engages in self-reflection to identify strengths and areas for growth, sets meaningful goals, uses social awareness to maintain supportive relationships, and demonstrates responsible decision-making that prioritizes social, emotional, and mental well-being.

Learning Partners and Clients

Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health is a strong learning partner for this project because faculty or graduate researchers in environmental health, water safety, and infectious disease can provide expert feedback on how to design practical, low-cost biosensing tools for large residential water systems. Students can share prototype plans, testing data from simulated apartment water samples, and revised design briefs with these reviewers to strengthen the scientific validity and usability of their work for NYC Housing Authority settings. Contact: https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/about-us/contact-us.

Phase Overview

Phase Key Experiences
Discover
I can explore news stories about the impact of Legionnaires' disease on New Yorkers, investigate a simulated NYC apartment water-system outbreak, trace how building conditions and human activity increase Legionnaires’ risk, and identify root causes that make low-cost biosensing tools necessary to protect residents.
Examine
I can analyze case data, maps, and public health reports on NYC Legionnaires’ outbreaks to identify patterns in where and why people are getting sick. I can research how Legionella grows in large residential water systems and explain how temperature, stagnation, and maintenance practices affect contamination risk. I can evaluate existing water testing and biosensing methods for cost, speed, safety, and practicality in NYC Housing Authority buildings. I can interview or review insights from environmental health experts at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health to determine what makes a monitoring tool useful in dense housing settings. I can define a testable engineering problem with clear criteria and constraints that reflect public health needs, resident safety, and available school lab resources.
Engineer
I can develop a low-cost biosensor prototype and design brief as a biomedical engineer by planning how it will detect simulated Legionnaires’ risk in apartment water samples and support safer decision-making for NYC Housing Authority staff and residents.
Do
I can use my prototype with simulated apartment water samples, collect and analyze performance data on accuracy, reliability, and usability, and revise my conclusions based on feedback from public health reviewers.
Share
I can share my validated design brief, biosensor results, and learning journey in an interactive review session with peers, families, school staff, and public health partners, while reflecting on how I grew as a critical thinker, collaborator, and future-focused problem solver.