NSF REU-QUEST Summer 2017

Back row  (left to right) – Dr. McNair, Tom Claffey, Dr. Strychar
Middle row – Brady Nahkala, Marisa Yang, Rebekah Bryant, Jen Kovach, Meera Ghandi
Front row – Brooke Ridenour, Brittany Schulz, Bethany Dennis, Ellen James

Ten bright young scientists from across the United States have arrived at AWRI and are hard at work on summer research projects. The 2017 REU-QUEST cohort includes students from California, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania. They are participating in a summer research program for undergraduates, funded by a National Science Foundation grant to Drs. Jim McNair (PI) and Kevin Strychar (Co-PI) promoting Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU). The theme of AWRI’s REU program is QUantitative Environmental Science and Technology (QUEST). REU-QUEST aims to provide students with genuine research experiences, with a substantial proportion of the projects resulting in peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals. Further information about AWRI’s REU program is available on its website (https://www.gvsu.edu/wri/mcnair/reuquest).

Kim Oldenborg, graduate student working with Al Steinman, successfully passed her qualifying exam on June 13.

Al Steinman attended a meeting of the science advisory council of UM’s Water Center in Ann Arbor on June 5.

Al Steinman attended the annual GVSU Enrichment Dinner held in Grand Rapids on June 6.   Allen and Helen Hunting were honored for their contributions to GVSU and their recent gift to AWRI establishing a Research Innovation Fund.

Al Steinman met with Jim Brooks and Jeff Padnos about possible roles of AWRI at the new development called Singapore Dunes in Saugatuck.

Al Steinman hosted Allen and Helen Hunting and others on a W. G. Jackson cruise on June 20; this event was to thank the Huntings for their recent gift to AWRI.

Al Steinman met with Michigan State Representative Scott VanSingel on June 26 to discuss Great Lakes issues.

The W.G. Jackson traveled to Indiana for public outreach cruises on June 9-13.  The Sanitary District of Michigan City hosted the vessel in Michigan City for three days followed by two days in Hammond, Indiana hosted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

AWRI staff are bolded, undergraduate students are denoted with a single asterisk*, graduate students are denoted with two asterisks**, and post-doc researchers are donated with three asterisks ***.

Publications

Bopi Biddanda authored an article recently published in Eos:
Biddanda, B. A.  2017.  Global significance of the Changing Freshwater Carbon Cycle.  Eos, American Geophysical Union 98(6): 15-17.
https://eos.org/opinions/global-significance-of-the-changing-freshwater-carbon-cycle

Al Steinman is a co-author of an article published in Limnology & Oceanography:
Sterner, R.W., P. Ostrom, N.E. Ostrom, J.V. Klump, A.D. Steinman, E.A. Dreelin, M.J. Vander Zanden, and A. Fisk.  2017.  Grand challenges for research in the Laurentian Great Lakes.  Limnology & Oceanography.

Anthony Weinke, recent graduate student with Bopi Biddanda, has an article in press in the journal Ecosystems:
Weinke, A.W.** and B.A. Biddanda.  In Press.  From bacteria to fish: Ecological consequences of seasonal hypoxia in a Great Lakes estuary.  Ecosystems.

Presentations

(Presenter listed first)

AWRI was represented at the Society for Freshwater Sciences (SFS) annual conference in Raleigh, North Carolina held June 4 – 8.  Victoria (Tori) Harris, Mike Hassett, Emily Kindervater, and Suse LaGory were all in attendance, and all presented:
Harris, V.**, R. Rediske, and B. Scull.  Poster.  Influences of mill debris on the benthic macroinvertebrate community in Muskegon Lake, Michigan.
Hassett, M., M. Oudsema, N. Hahn*, and A. Steinman.  Poster.  Pre-restoration monitoring of a hydrologic reconnection project: fate of legacy phosphorus.
Kindervater, E.** and A.D. Steinman.  Oral.  Phosphorus retention in sediments of two-stage agricultural ditches.
LaGory, S.** and C.R. Ruetz III.  Oral.  Seasonal ecology of Mottled Sculpin (Cottus bairdi) and Brown Trout (Salmo trutta) in a coldwater Michigan stream. 

Mike Hassett was a co-organizer and facilitator for a workshop at SFS titled: Grant writing advice for early career members.

Carl Ruetz and Greg Chorak (graduate student) were co-authors on a poster presentation at SFS:
Colasante, J.M., G. Chorak**, D.J. Janetski, C.R. Ruetz III, and D. Clapp.  Poster.  Size at age comparison of yellow perch across a north-south gradient of lakes connected to Lake Michigan.

Rick Rediske presented on the topic of water quality at a Green Community Conference held in Muskegon on June 6.

Rick Rediske gave two presentations for Western Michigan University students who visited the Lake Michigan Center as part of their Geology Field Camp course on June 7.  Rick spoke about Environmental Chemistry issues and about Areas of Concern (AOCs).

Rick Rediske gave two different presentations for a Water History Conference that took place June 14–16.  On the 14^th he did a Grand River walking tour, and on the 16^th he hosted a cruise on the research vessel W. G. Jackson.

Carl Ruetz gave a seminar titled “Patterns of fish distribution in Lake Michigan drowned river mouths” at the Central Michigan University Biological Station on Beaver Island on June 28.

Janet Vail was an invited speaker at the 2017 Conference on the Environment held in Michigan City, Indiana on June 9.  Three trips on the research vessel W.G. Jackson happened that same afternoon for conference participants.

There were no new awards or recognition for this issue.  Check again next month!

Katie Knapp, graduate student working with Bopi Biddanda, was awarded a CIGLR (Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research) Graduate Fellowship of $25,000 in support of her thesis project:  Quantifying a lake’s variable carbon cycle in time and space.

AWRI In the News

“Great Lakes advisors wrestle with nutrient plan amid EPA funding cuts”
Water Policy Report, 6/12/2017
Al Steinman was quoted regarding GLRI funding recommendations during a Great Lakes Advisory Board meeting he recently attended.

“W.G. Jackson Research Vessel Teaches Water Quality in Hammond”
Lakeshore Public Radio, 6/16/2017
Interviews of AWRI staff, who were delivering the outreach programs.

“Project Clarity Update”
Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, MACC Newsletter, Summer 2017
AWRI is mentioned as assisting in the Lake Macatawa sampling.  Nicole Hahn and Kim Oldenborg are pictured taking Lake Macatawa samples.

LMC Events

June 1
Students from Marquette Elementary (Muskegon County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

June 5 & 6
Students from Murray Lake Elementary (Kent County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

June 6
The Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership held a public meeting at the Lake Michigan Center.

June 7
Students from Waukazoo Elementary Explorers (Ottawa County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the D.J. Angus.

June 8
Students from Shoreline Elementary (Muskegon County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities.

June 15 & 20
The West Michigan Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative Teacher Group held workshops in the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom.

June 16
The International Water History Association held their 2017 conference at the Lake Michigan Center and enjoyed a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

June 20
The Muskegon River Watershed Assembly held a Water Summit Planning session at the Lake Michigan Center.

June 21
GVSU’s College of Liberal Arts & Sciences “Alliance for Professional Support Staff” held this year’s Mini-Tour at the R.B. Annis Water Resources Center.  They enjoyed a tour of the facilities along with a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

June 22
The West Michigan Watersheds Collaborative held a Sustainable Funding Round Table Discussion at the Lake Michigan Center.

June 28
Revel, a Muskegon based marketing agency, held a meeting at the Lake Michigan Center.