A group of seventh graders in Buffalo, New York are gearing up for a different kind of science class. On Monday, students will take a break from their regular activities to video chat with Great Lakes scientists and discuss issues like water chemistry, food webs, and pollution. And after spending the fall monitoring water quality in their local rivers, they have a lot of questions.
 
It’s all part of a joint program with IISG and the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office that gives students a chance to collect data on water characteristics like dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH. The monitoring equipment is similar to the sensors used aboard the EPA research vessel Lake Guardian.
 
The Nichols Middle School students have worked throughout the year on projects related to field work done in the fall, and they plan to collect new samples next week. But before they return to the field, they will “sit down” with EPA scientists Glenn Warren, Eric Osantowski, and Beth Hinchey Malloy.
 

 

Each of the three classes will have roughly 20 minutes to ask questions about their fall data, the connections between different water characteristics, and the impact of human activities on Great Lakes health. They will also have a chance to talk about the ins and outs of being an aquatic scientist and the education those careers require.  
 
Sandy Cunningham, the students’ teacher, has used the Hydrolab for several years and is one of three teachers to participate in the IISG-hosted video chats this year. Superior Middle School’s Stephanie Francis and Lesley Zylstra, a fifth grade teacher in Milwaukee, also used the monitoring equipment and conversations with scientists to boost their aquatic science sections. All three were introduced to the program, along with other classroom resources, during workshops coordinated by IISG. 
 
Monday’s is the last videocast before summer break, but IISG’s Kristin TePas hopes to continue the event next year, each month with a different teacher.
 
*Students analyze water samples from local streams. Photos courtesy of Sandy Cunningham. 

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IISG is seeking a talented and passionate person to join our team as a research & reporting administrator. This is an exciting leadership opportunity for someone interested in managing a competitive research portfolio and leading our annual reporting process to make a real impact on the health and vitality of our Great Lakes ecosystems and communities. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing our research competitions, spearheading data collection and reporting for our ~$5 million program, and supervising a small team of dedicated staff.Interested? Learn more at the link in bio.
Just in time for DEA National Takeback Day on October 25, Unwanted Meds now has an interactive step-by-step guide that walks users through how to properly dispose of different types of medicine. Users can also find two new educational brochures designed to help veterinarians, pet owners, and livestock farmers prevent accidental poisonings and pollution.Learn more at the link in bio.
Join us November 5th and November 12th seminars on the latest fish biology, ecology, and fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan. Topics will include:• PFAS contamination in coastal tributaries• Great Lakes Spawning Whitefish and Invasive Mussels (SWIM) project• Hatchery update from the Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesLearn more and register at the link in bio.
How Do You Track a Fish in a Great Lake? Are your students curious about how scientists track fish underwater? In this Students Ask Scientists session, discover how researchers use acoustic telemetry to track fish like yellow perch in Lake Michigan.You will meet Anna Hill, a master’s student at Purdue University, as she shares her career journey studying marine and freshwater systems.📅 Date: November 6, 2025🕚 Time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM CT🎯 Audience: Middle school students & up + educators💻 Location: Zoom (Pre-registration required)Learn more and register at the link in bio.#TeachingTuesday#StudentsAskScientists#LakeMichigan
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