Campbell Weyland – Environmental Science ’17

Campbell Weyland came to Lafayette as a civil engineer, but decided he’d rather pursue a science degree that would allow him to explore more of his varied interests.  Thus, a major in environmental science turned out to be a great fit.  “The cool thing about [the environmental science major] was taking classes in different facets of engineering and also biology and chemistry,” Weyland recalled.

During his time at Lafayette, Campbell was a member of the soccer team and also spent two years working on a research project.  “A great thing about Lafayette is you get undergraduate research experience,” Campbell explained.  The research project focused on composting and making organic fertilizer to try to compete with chemical fertilizers that might be harmful to the environment. Campbell worked with fellow student, Cathy Ye, to conduct a nitrogen footprint assessment to define the campus’ nitrogen impact and consider ways that compost can relieve that impact.  Campbell’s research was conducted under SEES guidelines and the advisement of Professor Art Kney of the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department.  Weyland’s participation in this project afforded him the chance to present at the local, state and national levels.  Weyland also had a few opportunities to connect with LEAP, Lafayette Environmental Awareness and Protection, during his time at Lafayette.  He worked with LEAP on calculating the nitrogen footprint of the school, and also partnered with the LEAP as a board member of Athletes C.A.R.E, an organization of like-minded athletes, who provide unique, athletics-related service opportunities that support residents of communities in need.

Overall, Campbell spoke quite positively of his experiences at Lafayette.  He explained that the faculty and staff at Lafayette have been very understanding and have helped him map out and achieve his goals as a student.  Due to the major’s interdisciplinary nature, we would also recommend Environmental Science to students who may be undecided on which specific field of science they are interested in.  The Environmental Science major provides students with the option to explore many different science-related areas.

Click here for more information on Campbell’s research project.