AWRI Summer Beach Monitoring

The Rediske Lab at AWRI was part of a 21-laboratory validation study of the quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) method for monitoring beach water quality for E. coli, which can provide same-day test results of recreational water quality standards. Two articles evaluating the qPCR method, involving us as co-authors, were published in the March 2019 issue of the journal “Water Research”. Validating the qPCR method is significant, as previous culture-based techniques provided results the day after beachgoers may have already been exposed to unsafe conditions. AWRI scientist Brian Scull analyzed AWRI’s validation samples, prepared calibration standards for all 21 labs in the study, and prepared a group of validation samples. Rediske Lab alumna Tori Harris and current graduate student Molly Lane are featured in the attached photos.

AWRI has conducted Lake Michigan beach monitoring for Public Health Muskegon County since 2001. The Rediske Lab has been working with the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the development of qPCR methods for E. coli since 2015. Method validation represents an important milestone that will lead to the formal approval of qPCR for monitoring the safety of recreational waters. AWRI continues to conduct qPCR research with the MDEQ and EPA and is in the process of validating molecular source tracking (MST) methods, which use genetic markers of human and animal intestinal bacteria, to track pathogen sources.

Matt Allen, graduate student working with Rick Rediske, successfully passed his Qualifying Exam on April 4^th.

Sarah Hamsher worked a table at the Winter Majors Fair for the Biology Department held on the Allendale campus on March 19^th.

Tyler Harman, graduate student working with Kevin Strychar, successfully passed his Qualifying Exam on April 19^th.

Jasmine Mancuso, graduate student working with Bopi Biddanda, successfully passed her Qualifying Exam on April 9^th.

Rick Rediske participated in a discussion hosted by the World Affairs Council at Kent District Library on April 15^th.

Rick Rediske participated in a discussion hosted by the League of Women Voters at the Loutit Library in Grand Haven on April 16^th.

Rick Rediske attended an EPA Citizen’s Advisory group kick-off meeting in Rockford on April 18^th.  On April 24^th he was part of a group that met with a potential facilitator for this same Citizen’s Advisory group.

Rick Rediske met with a new staff member from Senator Gary Peters’ office on April 23^rd; the staffer wanted to learn more about PFAS.

Al Steinman was invited to attend a public meeting at Silver Lake, based on his prior studies there, to discuss a proposed sewer assessment.  Al reported that there were approximately 400 people in attendance and most were not in favor of this proposal.

Al Steinman was one of several faculty members who each had a segment recorded about their research on April 17^th. These segments are to be used on PBS’s “Academic Minute”.

Al Steinman was an invited speaker at a meeting about the proposed Grand River dredging project at Seven Steps Up in Spring Lake on April 24^th.

Al Steinman was on a panel discussing the Ottawa County groundwater issue at the Loutit Library on April 27^th as part of Earth Day events.

Michelle Smith and Jamie Cross hosted a display at an Earth Day event in Grand Haven on April 27^th.

Janet Vail and Tom Jackson represented AWRI at the Earth Fair in Muskegon on April 27^th.

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

Tony Weinke and Bopi Biddanda are co-authors on an article about their sinkhole work in Lake Huron in the journal Eos:
Weinke, A.**, B. Biddanda, R. Green, J. Hoyt and T. Casserley. Exploring microbial ecosystems in Lake Huron. Eos. 100 (4): 48. https://eos.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Apr-19_magazine.pdf

Presentations

(Presenter listed first)

Bopi Biddanda gave a presentation at the “Meet the Faculty” event organized to introduce the new major Environmental and Sustainability Studies on April 9^th in Lake Huron Hall, on the Allendale Campus.

Sarah Hamsher gave a presentation about algae to the AWRI vessel instructors on April 12^th as part of their pre-season meeting.  The vessels season starts on April 15^th.

Sarah Lamar, graduate student working with Charlyn Partridge, gave a presentation at the Midwest Graduate Research Symposium in Toledo, Ohio on April 6^th.  Sarah won “Best Seminar” at the symposium.
Lamar, S.K.** and C.G. Partridge.  Comparing germination success of invasive baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) found in distinct ecoregions.

Sarah Lamar presented at the Midwest Section of the Society for Ecological Restoration held in Pella, Iowa on April 12^th.
Lamar, S.K.** and C.G. Partridge.  Comparing germination success of invasive baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) found in distinct ecoregions.

Sarah Lamar presented a poster at the GVSU Graduate Symposium held in Grand Rapids on April 15^th. 
Lamar, S.K.** and C.G. Partridge.  Poster.  Biological invasions on a large scale: investigating the spread of invasive baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata) across North America.

Alan Mock, graduate student working with Carl Ruetz, gave a poster presentation at the Midwest Graduate Research Symposium in Toledo, Ohio on April 6^th:
Mock, A.J.**, C.R. Ruetz III, D. Mays, and A. Martell. Poster. Evaluating remote site incubators to support Arctic grayling restoration in Michigan.

Rachel Orzechowski, undergraduate student working in the Steinman lab, presented a poster at the Student Scholars Day event held at GVSU in Allendale on April 10^th. 
Rachel M. Orzechowski* and Alan D. Steinman. Poster. Using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators: an assessment of the ecological restoration of Muskegon Lake, Michigan.

Sarah Lamar, graduate student working with Charlyn Partridge, won the University of Toledo Office of the Provost, Best Seminar Award on April 6^th at the Midwest Graduate Research Symposium.

Sarah Lamar, graduate student working with Charlyn Partridge, was selected for the Graduate Dean’s Citation for Academic Excellence for Excellence in Leadership and Service to GVSU in the Winter 2019 semester.  Sarah received her award on April 19^th at the Graduate Student Celebration.

Alan Mock, graduate student working with Carl Ruetz, was selected for the Graduate Dean’s Citation for Academic Excellence in the Degree Program in the Winter 2019 semester.  Alan received his award on April 19^th at the Graduate Student Celebration.

Charlyn Partridge received the Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award from the Graduate Student Association in the Winter 2019 semester. Charlyn received her award on April 19^th at the Graduate Student Celebration.

Matt Allen, graduate student working with Rick Rediske, received a Presidential Grant in the amount of $1,250.

Cassidy Gilmore, graduate student working with Kevin Strychar, received a Presidential Grant in the amount of $1,500.

Tyler Harmon, graduate student working with Kevin Strychar, received a Presidential Grant in the amount of $1,500.

Jasmine Mancuso, graduate student working with Bopi Biddanda, received a Presidential Grant in the amount of $750.

Jasmine Mancuso was also awarded a graduate fellowship in the amount of $2,500 from the Michigan Chapter of the North American Lake Management Society in support of her thesis project on cyanobacterial blooms in Muskegon Lake. 

Charlyn Partridge and undergraduate student Alex Florian received a Student Summer Scholar (S3) award to support Alex’s research in the Partridge lab this summer.

Charlyn Partridge received a Faculty Teaching & Learning Center (FTLC) teaching initiative grant in the amount of $1,650 to support a nanopore MinION for classroom use for the period of January 2020 through April 2020.

Al Steinman and Carl Ruetz have received an award from the West Michigan Shoreline Regional Development Commission for the Lower Muskegon River Wetland Post-Restoration Monitoring project in the amount of $217,925.

“Environment matters”
Report from the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, Spring 2019, page 13
AWRI is featured as a recipient of Donor Advised Funds through the Community Foundation for Muskegon County in order to do research on some of our local stream and lake sites.

“McNALMS and MLSA award student grant for 2019”
Michigan Chapter North American Lake Management Society, Spring 2019
Jasmine Mancuso, graduate student working with Bopi Biddanda, received a Lake Research Student Grant for her proposal “Exploring drivers of cyanobacterial blooms with time-series observations, biogeochemical modeling, and in situ experimentation in a model Great Lakes estuary”.

“Project Clarity Update”
Macatawa Area Coordinating Council, Spring 2019
AWRI staff continue to monitor areas around the Macatawa Watershed.  Mike Hassett and Maggie Oudsema from the Steinman lab are pictured taking water samples.

“Road trippers search for dune disrupter’s roots”
Great Lakes Echo, April 3, 2019
Charlyn Partridge and her graduate student Sarah Lamar are featured for their research with the invasive species baby’s breath.

“Our lakes are Great: Series on global and local water issues held at KDL Kentwood Branch”
Kent District Library, April 4, 2019
There are 4 events listed in the series.  Rick Rediske is a member of a panel talking about “State of our groundwater” on April 15, Mark Luttenton is speaking about “State of our Great Lakes” on May 1.

Findings from Grand Valley State University provide new insights into life science research (reducing effects of dispersal on the bias of 2-sample mark-recapture estimators of stream fish abundance).
NewsRx Life Science Daily, April 9, 2019
An article recently included in the journal PLOS One by lead author Ariana Carlson is discussed.  Ariana was a recipient of the Bill & Diana Wipperfurth Scholarship and used her time at AWRI to develop this article.  Additional authors are Jim McNair, Carl Ruetz, and J. Suh.

“Will Grand River’s future be secure?”
The Grand Haven Tribune, April 11, 2019
Our research vessel was mentioned in this opinion piece.  They remark about the good information that was shared on the vessel trip.

“Researchers hit the road to trace DNA of dune-destroying baby’s breath”
Spartan Newsroom, April 12, 2019
Charlyn Partridge and her graduate student Sarah Lamar are featured for their research with the invasive species baby’s breath.

“Water rules could test Michigan’s ‘no stricter than federal’ law”
MiBiz, April 14, 2019
Al Steinman is interviewed regarding the proposed changes to the federal water policies.

“PFAS standards sought as Robinson Twp. awaits results”
The Grand Haven Tribune, April 19, 2019
Rick Rediske is shown in a photo.  Rick spoke at the Loutit Library on April 16^th regarding PFAS.

“Ranking 16 of Michigan’s Great Lakes harbor communities by economic impact”
MLive, April 25, 2019
Muskegon is mentioned as one of the 16 ports in Michigan with economic impact.  AWRI is mentioned as being located on Muskegon Lake, and having a positive effect on economic activity.

“Many upset over dredging project; Ottawa commissioners express views”
LegalNews.com, The Norton Lakeshore Examiner, Muskegon County, April 26, 2019
Al Steinman was a panelist at a public meeting held in Spring Lake on April 24^th to discuss the proposed Grand River dredging project.

“Legislators stall dredging project”
The Grand Haven Tribune, April 26, 2019
Al Steinman was a panelist at a public meeting held in Spring Lake on April 24^th to discuss the proposed Grand River dredging project.

“Researchers hit the road to trace DNA of dune-destroying plant”
The Sault News, April 30, 2019
Charlyn Partridge and her graduate student Sarah Lamar are featured for their research with the invasive species baby’s breath.

“Invasive baby’s breath”
MI NPR Statewide, April 29, 2019
Charlyn Partridge was interviewed on MI NPR about her baby’s breath research.

LMC Events

April 2
The Muskegon Lake Watershed Partnership held a public meeting at the Lake Michigan Center.

April 9
Second grade students from Central Elementary School (Muskegon County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities.

April 15-17
Students from Valleywood Middle School (Kent County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

April 18
Students from Ingham Intermediate School District (Ingham County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

April 18
GVSU students in Dr. Azizur Molla’s Public Health class were given a tour of the AWRI labs and a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

April 19
Students from Duck Creek Learning Center (Muskegon County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the D.J. Angus.

April 19
Seminar Speaker: Dr. Philip Chu, Integrated Physical & Ecological Modeling & Forecasting Branch Chief, CoastWatch Manager, NOAA-GLERL, presented: “How to combine measurements, satellite data and computer models to make better forecasts and decisions”.

April 23-24
The City of Muskegon held a staff training event at the Lake Michigan Center.

April 23, 29-30 
Students from Pinewood Middle School (Kent County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.

April 25
Students from Brookwood Elementary School (Kent County) visited the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom for hands-on activities and took a vessel cruise on the W.G. Jackson.