\n\tCurious about how scientists study fish populations or climate change? Or how drones are used to map streams and lakes?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\tThen check out \u201cZoom a Scientist,\u201d an interactive, virtual webinar series focused on watershed and aquatic science. It’s hosted by the University of Vermont (UVM) Extension\u00a0Lake Champlain Sea Grant\u00a0Education Team every Tuesday and Friday from noon to 1 p.m. Although geared to middle and high school students, content also will be of interest to younger students and adults.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWith schools closed due to COVID-19, we are unable to provide our regular, place-based Watershed Alliance programming for K-12 students and teachers,\u201d said Ashley Eaton, Watershed and Lake Education Coordinator with Lake Champlain Sea Grant. \u201cHowever, through these virtual learning sessions, we are able to continue to connect our community with place and provide insight into current research on the health of our watershed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tThe programs are free although registration is requested. For details, go to\u00a0http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/seagrant-live<\/a>. Sessions will be recorded and archived for future viewing at this same link. To request a disability-related accommodation to participate, please send an email to\u00a0watershd<\/span> [at] uvm.edu<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n \n\tFeatured presenters include scientists and researchers from the UVM\u00a0Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources\u00a0and the\u00a0Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, and State University of New York (SUNY) Plattsburgh and the Lake Champlain Research Institute, among other organizations.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tThe schedule and registration links for individual webinars are as follows:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n \n\tApril 3:<\/strong>\u00a0Watershed Science 101<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/watershed101<\/a>); Lake Champlain Sea Grant’s Education Team members Caroline Blake, Ashley Eaton, and Nate Trachte will describe the complex interactions that play a role in the health of a watershed, explore monitoring techniques for lakes and streams, and discuss what individuals can do to protect their local watershed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tApril 7:<\/strong>\u00a0Oil Spill!<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/oilspill<\/a>); U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant\u00a0Commander Jason Scott, recent Rubenstein School graduate student, will explain how\u00a0oil spills\u00a0occur, the environmental impacts, clean-up procedures, and\u00a0oil spill preparedness plans for the\u00a0Lake Champlain Basin.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tApril 10:<\/strong>\u00a0Photogrammetry 101<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/photogrammetry101<\/a>); Chris Sabick, director of research and archeology at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, will present 3-D models of shipwrecks, based on field research, with examples from Lake Champlain and around the world.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tApril 14:<\/strong>\u00a0What Do Fish Do in the Wintertime?<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/winterfish<\/a>);\u00a0Ben Block, a UVM graduate student, will provide insight into how fish in northern lakes adapt to conditions during colder months.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tApril 17:<\/strong>\u00a0Climate Change in the Lake Champlain Basin: What’s Already Happened and Where We’re Headed<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/basinclimate<\/a>); \u00a0Dr. Eric Leibensperger, SUNY Plattsburgh, will highlight climate changes already observed\u00a0and changes projected to occur\u00a0in\u00a0the Champlain Valley.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tApril 21:\u00a0<\/strong>A Fish’s Story: Following Lake Trout Movement Around Lake Champlain<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/fishstory<\/a>); UVM Rubenstein School graduate student Matt Futia will explore recent advances in technology that allow researchers to track individual fish to understand their movement and behaviors.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tApril 24:<\/strong>\u00a0Microplastics in Freshwater Systems<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/microplastics<\/a>); Dr. Danielle Garneau, SUNY Plattsburgh, will share findings from her research on microplastics in Lake Champlain.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tApril 28:<\/strong>\u00a0Long-term Effects of Climate Change on Lakes and the Importance of Winter Sampling<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/wintersampling<\/a>); Dr. Jennifer Brentrup, postdoctoral associate at UVM and Dartmouth College, will describe research on the effects of climate change and extreme events on lakes and how dissolved oxygen levels are used to estimate lake metabolism under ice.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tMay 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Sensing What is in the Water: Next-generation Sensor Technologies for Water Quality Monitoring<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/sensortech<\/a>); Dr. Breck Bowden, Lake Champlain Sea Grant director, will review how researchers measure water quality and traditional sampling methods along with how new technologies provide new insights for scientists.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tMay 5:<\/strong>\u00a0But How Do We Know? Sampling Fish to Understand What’s Happening with Populations<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/fishsample<\/a>); Dr. Ellen Marsden, UVM Rubenstein School fisheries biologist,\u00a0will delve into how scientists observe fish through remote sampling and other methods and interpret data from those samples to understand the overall fish population in a lake.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tMay 8:<\/strong>\u00a0Squeezing the Middle of Lake Champlain’s Food Web<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/lakefoodweb<\/a>);\u00a0Dr. Jason Stockwell, Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory director, will\u00a0share his research on the interaction of lake trout natural reproduction and stocking strategies.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tMay 12:<\/strong>\u00a0Mapping our Streams and Lakes with Drones<\/em>\u00a0(http:\/\/go.uvm.edu\/dronemapping<\/a>); Learn how drones are being used to map invasive species, respond to floods, and track changes in streams in the Lake Champlain watershed with Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, director of the UVM Spatial Analysis Laboratory.\u00a0<\/p>\n