AWRI Hires New Postdoctoral Researcher

David Janetski, who joined AWRI in September 2011, will finish his Ph.D. from the University of Notre Dame in January 2012. His dissertation research was on the ecological impacts of non-native Pacific salmon on the stream ecosystems where they spawn. David recently submitted a paper Spawning Pacific salmon elevate organic pollutants in resident fish of Great Lakes tributaries to the journal, Environmental Science & Technology.

At AWRI, Dave will work with Dr. Carl Ruetz on the spatial and temporal patterns of fish communities in drowned-river mouth lakes, including evaluating the relationship between environmental variation and juvenile yellow perch abundance in Muskegon Lake compared to near shore Lake Michigan. The results from these analyses will help to assess fish community recovery in Muskegon Lake and White Lake, both Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes, and determine the importance of drowned-river mouth lakes as critical habitat for juvenile yellow perch.

Dave's postdoctoral support was made possible through a generous donation from a donor who prefers to remain anonymous. The generosity of donors has been vital to the continued success of AWRI and its programs, and we wish to express our sincere appreciation for the support.

LMC Events

Oct 1
GVSU Family Weekend participants enjoyed trips on board the AWRI research vessel, the W. G. Jackson.

Oct 5
The Muskegon Chamber of Commerce held a Muskegon in Focus event, along with a trip on the W. G. Jackson.

Oct 7
West Michigan accounting firm, Brickley DeLong, held a tax update retreat.

Oct 10
Meadow Ridge Elementary fourth graders visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and a trip aboard the research vessel, W. G. Jackson.

Oct 12
A group from the Lake Express Ferry and AWRI held a collaborative meeting.

Oct 14
Series Seminar: Dr. Joanna Freeland of Trent University presented Invasive plants in aquatic habitats: Sex, dispersal, and other secrets to success

Oct 17
GVSU Family Health Center administered flu shots to AWRI staff and students on site.

Oct 18
Whitney Nelson, graduate student working with Al Steinman, successfully presented her thesis defense.

Oct 27
The Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership monthly meeting was held.

 

Activities

John Koches attended a two-day conference on September 29th and 30th titled, MI H2Objective Conference: Research Shaping Michigan's Water Future, at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.

Rick Rediske coordinated a World Water Sustainability Session for the Campus Sustainability week on October 21 on the Allendale Campus.

Carl Ruetz began a 3-year term as an associate editor for the journal American Midland Naturalist in October.

Carl Ruetz took his class, BIO362 Fisheries Biology, on a field trip to the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, IL on October 8.

Janet Vail and Amanda Syers trained teachers and facilitators using the new Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide at the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education annual conference in Bay City on October 7.

Janet Vail and Amanda Syers attended a Muskegon Marina/Maritime meeting on October 17.

Janet Vail attended a dinner and dialogue meeting for the West Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative on October 17.

Janet Vails class which she is co-teaching, Environmental Studies 201, presented posters at the GVSU Campus Sustainability Week on October 20.

 

Presentations

Bopi Biddanda gave a presentation about opportunities for students at the Annis Water Resources Institute at the Undergraduate Research Fair in Allendale on October 4.

Bopi Biddanda gave a presentation titled Lake Sentinel An Observatory for Ecosystem Changes at the CLAS Faculty Colloquium on the Allendale campus on October 14.

Bopi Biddanda gave a presentation titled Exploring Sinkholes and Discovering Ancient Life during the GVSU Earth Science Week Lecture in Allendale on October 20.

Mark Luttenton presented a lecture on Ecological History of the Great Lakes to BIO 105 in Allendale on October 17.

Rick Rediske and Andrew Sisson made presentations on World Water Sustainability Issues and Long-term Field Performance of the Biosand Point of Use Water Filtration System in the Artibonite Valley, Haiti at the Campus Sustainability Week on the Allendale Campus on October 21.

Rick Rediske presented a lecture on Great Lakes Toxicology to BIO 105 in Allendale on October 24.

Rick Rediske presented a lecture in Water Sustainability for an Environmental Studies 201 class in Allendale on October 27.

Rick Rediske gave a presentation on Cyanobacteria in the Great Lakes at Hope College for their Great Lakes Issues class on October 31.

Andrew Sisson, graduate student working with Rick Rediske, gave a presentation on Long-term Field Performance of the Biosand Point of Use Water Filtration System in the Artibonite Valley, Haiti to the Saugatuck Rotary Club on October 14.

Janet Vail gave a talk about AWRI to the Muskegon in Focus group on October 5 when they visited the Lake Michigan Center; the group also had a trip on the research vessel W.G. Jackson.

Janet Vail and Amanda Syers presented a Population Connection workshop at the Michigan Alliance for Environmental and Outdoor Education annual conference on October 8.

Janet Vail presented a MEECS Air Quality workshop in Charlevoix on October 10.

Janet Vail presented a program with Karen Meyers, Director of the GVSU Regional Math & Science Center, for the Groundswell Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative on October 24.

 

Publications

Ryan Thum has a manuscript accepted to the journal Biological Invasions:

Thum, R. A., A. Mercer, and D. Wcisel. In Press. Loopholes in the regulation of invasive species: genetic identification techniques identify the sale of prohibited invasive aquatic plants. Biological Invasions.

 

Awards & Recognition

Rod Denning received an award from the West Michigan Trails and Greenway's Coalition for creativity and dedication in helping to promote the trails of West Michigan in his cartography projects titled: Fred Meijer Map Atlas for Non-Motorized Trails, and the West Michigan TRAILS Magazine.

 

Grants & Contracts

Janet Vail received $8,000 in GLRI funds from MDEQ and CMU to complete a climate change supplement for the MEECS project. She and Amanda Syers will be working on the supplement over the next few months.

 

AWRI In the News

Angus gets presidential visit
Forum: a newsletter for the Grand Valley State University Community, October 3, 2011 GVSUs President Haas accompanied a group on a D. J. Angus research vessel trip on September 23.

Drawing on Experience: Hooker-DeJong Architects celebrates 75 years in Muskegon
Muskegon Chronicle, October 7, 2011 GVSU-AWRIs Lake Michigan Center is shown in the article as a building designed by Hooker-DeJong.

Internal Phosphorus Loading: the unseen source
The MiCorps Monitor: Fall 2011 Al Steinman has an article about phosphorus loading in this publication.

NOAA study suggests less Great Lakes water loss due to climate change
Muskegon Chronicle/MLive, October 19, 2011 Al Steinman is quoted regarding lake levels in the Great Lakes.

AWRI offers internship
Forum: a newsletter for the Grand Valley State University Community, October 24, 2011 The VanderMey internship for which AWRI is taking applications is mentioned.