Senior Della Smith Conducts Independent Study Combining Robotics, Biology, and 3D Printing

Senior Della Smith combined biology, robotics and 3D printing in an independent study unlike any other. Using a cross-section between science and robotics, Della designed a device to test variances in water quality across Lake Washington. Her goal is to explain through data science why beach closures vary across short distances.

Della’s project first began with the goal of doing something with water. “Over the summer of 2022, I saw the King County temporary closure notices about Madison Park Beach and Matthews Park Beach, but that neighboring Magnuson Beach remained open. This is where my interest spiked,” says Della. “I knew that bacteria levels didn’t spread incredibly fast, so variances must relate to the movement of water current.” 

“I was really trying to answer: ‘How does water change across distances? How do I test these small changes in the water? I was essentially challenging what King County said,” Della confides. 

Starting in September 2022, Della had the support of Science Department Chair and Teacher Peter Clark and Robotics Director Gerald Elliott to design a comprehensive study diving into this curiosity. 

“I knew I needed something to test at different depths,” Della says as she begins to explain the course of her study. “I was doing research on how to capture water and came across a design inspired by a horizontal spring-loaded PVC mechanism. I saw that PhD students were using similar mechanisms.”  

Using her knowledge of Solidworks, an online CAD software, she created a 3D rendering of the design. After the rendering was complete, the components of the piece were fabricated using the machining tools at Seattle Academy’s Robotics Lab. 

The device, a PVC tube lying horizontally with spring-loaded flaps on either end, is controlled by a weighted pull resting on top. The device can be lowered by rope and the flaps released to capture water samples at varying distances and depths.  

In December, Della went to 14 docks in total around the perimeter of Lake Washington to capture water samples at zero, 50 and 100 feet from beach shore; and additionally at an 8-foot depth. 

“I was coming in with the knowledge that bacteria levels can change quickly and within short distances but what I really wanted to learn more about was how these changes occurred and if they were uniform across the lake,” Della says. “My main question was how water samples vary from location to location. I was also testing temperature and PH to cross-examine how different factors can influence test results. I found it interesting how certain things can stay consistent while other things, like bacteria, can vary.” 

While testing water quality at various locations, Della utilized a Colony Forming Unit (CFU) test to measure the total amount of bacteria present. This test includes the measurement of many types of bacteria including two types of algae-adjacent compounds: Microcystins (or cyanoginosins), a class of toxins produced by certain freshwater cyanobacteria; as well as Anatoxins, a bicyclic amine alkaloid and cynatoxin with acute neurotoxicity found in the green parts of freshwater lakes. By focusing on the CFU test, Della was able to gather important data on bacterial levels in the water, which can have significant implications for human and environmental health. 

Della's study of bacterial load in Lake Washington yielded significant findings. The data showed that bacterial loads across the lake were highly variable, despite consistent temperature and pH levels. Her findings suggest that monitoring bacterial communities in Lake Washington is critical to understanding the patterns and potential impacts on the ecosystem. In particular, her research sheds light on the differences in bacterial growth across beaches, which could explain why certain areas of the lake are more susceptible to contamination and environmental harm. Overall, her work underscores the need for continued research and monitoring of bacterial levels in Lake Washington and other bodies of water. 

True to SAAS’s Culture of Performance, Della extended her independent study to continue the work by presenting her findings. Della is compiling her data into visual components of graphs and charts, as well as a video documenting her process. 

Della joined the robotics program in the sixth grade and has been a member throughout her Middle and Upper School career. Della requested to join the Upper School underwater robotics team as an eighth grader, making this her fifth year of pursuing underwater engineering. Della was the leader of the CAD team last year and is one of two engineering manager student leaders this year. She manages 45 students alongside fellow senior Jenna Li. The interdisciplinary study of art and science was initially what drew her to apply to SAAS. “A lot of schools have a 3D printer in their basement,” Della says, “but SAAS was the only school that had an established middle school robotics program. That was one of the main factors in choosing this school. And art; and the ability to pursue both.” 

Della will attend the University of Southern California for industrial and systems engineering next fall. She draws parallels between USC and SAAS. “I like the combination of science and arts. USC also facilitates interdisciplinary study, and encourages majoring and minoring in totally different topics. Systems and processes — this is what I like about my project. It is right in line.”

“I think it is interesting that I got this experience before college,” says Della. “I am so thankful my SAAS teachers were able to facilitate this process. They were in support of whatever idea I had; they really let me drive the independent study.”