Construction and practice of the mechanism for integrating scientific research into experimental teaching

Major experimental teaching plays a crucial role in cultivating the ability of undergraduates majoring in environmental engineering to solve complex engineering problems. The study explores the integration of scientific research resources into undergraduate experimental teaching, aiming to enhance the quality of talent cultivation by transforming scientific research teams, projects, and resources into corresponding teaching entities. An innovative experimental course based on research projects of the scientific research teams was designed, focusing on the evaluation of photocatalytic oxidation of organic pollutants. The course encourages independent exploration, interdisciplinary knowledge application, and emphasizes thinking training in process assessment. Over a three-year period (2018–2020), 33 undergraduates participated in various experimental projects derived from scientific research. Data collected through questionnaires, discussions, and performance assessments revealed significant improvements in the undergraduates’ ability to solve complex environmental engineering problems, increased learning interest, and the development of critical thinking and innovative consciousness. The proposed mechanism not only enriches experimental teaching content but also effectively promotes the cultivation of innovative and compound talents in environmental engineering.