2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

Balancing Individual Learning and Teamwork: A Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Project for a Sophomore-level Environmental Engineering Course

Presented at Lightning Talks and Classroom Activities- ENVIRON Division

In the first offering of a sophomore-level environmental engineering project-based course on sustainable waste management, we developed a life cycle assessment (LCA) project related to laboratory waste. The objectives of the project were for students to i) practice life cycle thinking, ii) apply systems thinking to a product life cycle model, iii) apply an iterative model design and analysis approach common in engineering practice, and iv) build teamwork skills. Teams consisted of four students, each of whom constructed their own LCA model of a common laboratory waste stream – paper towels, aluminum foil, pipette tips, and nitrile gloves. We used a jigsaw approach for student teams wherein students were members of a Home Team with a student representing each of the four waste products, and also an Expert Team which consisted of students working on LCA models for the same product. We used the EarthSmart LCA software platform by EarthShift Global for the LCA analysis and the CATME platform to track Home Team function. Project deliverables were a mix of individual and Home Team assignments to ensure that every student experienced the full project. Deliverables included an estimate of the mass of each product used in the lab over a year of research (based on measured data) and a process flow diagram for each product; a Goal and Scope statement; draft and final LCA models; and a final poster which included all four LCAs. In their Home Teams, students presented their assessment of the highest impact laboratory waste stream during a live poster session. We used the PitchVantage platform to allow students to practice their poster presentation and to assess students individually on their content knowledge and oral communication skills. The topic of the project (laboratory waste streams) has changed in subsequent offerings while the overall project structure has remained largely the same.

Authors

Dr. Catherine M Kirkland http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3268-8570 Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Dr. Catherine Kirkland is an assistant professor of Environmental Engineering in the Civil Engineering Department at Montana State University. In addition to her background in environmental engineering, Catherine also holds a BA in Anthropology and Sociology from Rhodes College. Her research areas include beneficial biofilms, nuclear magnetic resonance, and engineering education.
Adrienne Phillips http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3291-710X Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Dr. Adie Phillips is an associate professor in the Civil Engineering department at Montana State University. She teaches environmental engineering courses and does research in biofilms and engineering education.
Dr. Kathryn Plymesser P.E. Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Dr. Plymesser hold a B.S. (Case Western Reserve University ’01) and Ph.D. (MSU ’14) degrees in Civil Engineering. She began her academic career at Montana State University – Billings with a teaching and research tenure-track appointment. Dr. Plymesser joined the Civil Engineering Department at Montana State University in 2016. Her research is focused in ecohydraulics and fish passage with a particular fondness for the application of hydraulic and fluid dynamic models to answer research questions in natural settings. Dr. Plymesser currently teaches Introduction to Environmental Engineering Design and Sustainability, Open Channel Hydrualics, and River Modeling.
Ellen Lauchnor Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Ellen Lauchnor is an Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering in the Civil Engineering Department at Montana State University.
Susan Gallagher Montana State University - Bozeman [biography]

Susan Gallagher is the Education and Workforce Program Manager at the Western Transportation Institute (WTI), a transportation research center within Montana State University's College of Engineering.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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