Training for Environmental Monitoring Performance Optimization (TEMPO)

The TEMPO (Training for Environmental Monitoring Performance Optimization) Training Tool is an interactive training tool that gives users a hands-on experience in contaminant site investigation through examination of virtual sites. It is aimed at supporting learning and skills development for two training modules including a Site Investigation module for improving investigation skills for conceptual site model development and a Long-Term Monitoring module for improving the design of cost-effective monitoring programs for Long-Term compliance. TEMPO is accessible online and consists of a graphical user interface that allows end users to undertake real-time training on these modules and for seven different virtual sites with varying complexity in geology and contaminant distribution. Users have the ability to investigate the selected virtual site by deploying an array of both conventional and advanced investigation tools including boreholes and MW installations, Membrane Interface Probe (MIP) and Dye-enhanced Laser Induced Fluorescence (DYE-LIF), and soil and groundwater analytical sampling. TEMPO tracks the costs of the investigation or monitoring programs in real-time and allows the user to evaluate their results to the true, known model of the virtual site, balancing cost with uncertainty and value of information. The user can assess their performance against the true results and monitor improvement with multiple attempts at each site. The goal of the TEMPO program is to provide a training instrument for students, early career contaminated site specialists and site management personnel to improve abilities in site investigations for remedial designs that are not under- or over- scoped and aid in the review of sampling programs.