Ohio Sea Grant Knauss Fellow Champions Ocean Education
The first comment Erin Sams Cooper usually has to address when she talks about her employer, the education non-profit Teens4Oceans, is “but… you’re based in Colorado.” And while the Rocky Mountains around Boulder were covered by an ocean a few million years ago, it’s not the first place most people would think of when asked where to start an ocean education program.
Researchers Explore New Avenues With Help From Ohio Sea Grant Small Grants
Often in academic research, it seems that all that matters is the big numbers: press releases report on hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for multi-year projects with large research teams. But small grants can be equally as important to an area of study, first and foremost because most scientists don’t start out by winning those highly competitive large grants.
Ohio Sea Grant’s Small Grants Program allows researchers to submit funding proposals at any time, for up to $10,000. While that generally does not cover a full project, it allows researchers to explore new aspects of their areas of interest, to potentially expand on in future investigations.
Ohio Board of Regents Funding Tackles Harmful Algal Blooms
A two-million dollar initiative funded by the Ohio Department of Higher Education (formerly the Ohio Board of Regents) brings together scientists from a number of Ohio universities to address HABs in Lake Erie.
Ohio Sea Grant Director Ends Tenure on a High Note
If you live in the Great Lakes and pay attention to the news on a semi-regular basis, you’ve probably seen, heard or read about Dr. Jeff Reutter, Director of Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory at The Ohio State University. After 42 years at Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab, as a researcher, educator and administrator, Reutter stepped down from his position on March 31, 2015.
Ohio Sea Grant Director Retires After 42 Years of Service
Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Laboratory, The Ohio State University’s island campus on Lake Erie, say a heartfelt “thank you” to Dr. Jeffrey Reutter, who is retiring from his position as Ohio Sea Grant Director today.
Knitting: Bridge Hat
I created this pattern while making hats for Bridge & Beyond, a local homeless charity. Please feel free to use it for other charities, gift knitting, or whatever other reason you have to want to keep someone warm :-)
Algae Through The Ages
When toxins from a harmful algal bloom (HAB) caused the City of Toledo to issue a “Do Not Drink Advisory” to 400,000 people, Ohio Sea Grant was on the case as soon as the phone started ringing.
While Stone Lab staff carried boxes of toxin analysis supplies to the City of Toledo offices, which were on the brink of running out, Ohio Sea Grant director Dr. Jeff Reutter and research coordinator Dr. Justin Chaffin were on the phone with the U.S. and Ohio Environmental Protection Agencies (EPA) as well as city officials from Toledo to help inform their management of the issue.
But August 2014 was far from the first time Ohio Sea Grant worked on the front lines to restore the health of Lake Erie.
And Dirt Goes Flying at the Speed of Sound
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just shout at the mess in your kitchen and have it disappear? While that’s still a pipe dream, researchers at The Ohio State University are taking steps in the right direction, working to use sound waves to remove contaminants from Lake Erie sediment.
Giving Back
Stone Lab students always maintain a special connection to their time on the island. Many will return as Friends of Stone Lab to help with annual events, or they support the lab through donations. And then there are a few alumni who go the extra mile and include Stone Lab in their estate, contributing to Lake Erie research and education long after they themselves are gone.
The Great Lakes’ Guardian Angel
Every summer, one of the Great Lakes receives a visit from a white ship bearing the mark of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Research Vessel (R/V) Lake Guardian is tasked with monitoring the conditions in the Great Lakes, from water temperatures to aquatic organisms.
Once a year, the Guardian, as it’s often called, also takes on a group of about 16 educators from around the Great Lakes region to allow them to learn about current Great Lakes research and bring that knowledge back to the students in their classroom
Discover Lake Erie Birding
Each summer, locations along the Lake Erie coastline fill with visitors, cameras and bird guides in hand, ready to discover that next rare bird on their must-see list. Birding contributes $30 million to northern Ohio’s economy every year, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife and Ohio Sea Grant have partnered in an effort to support and expand that contribution.
What Triggers Algal Blooms in Sandusky Bay?
Living on Lake Erie, people become familiar with the bright green paint look of Microcystis harmful algal blooms in the water, and management efforts have been focused on this nuisance for a while now. However, in Lake Erie’s Sandusky Bay, another cyanobacterial species is more prevalent, as Planktothrix blooms stain the bay’s water a dark olive green.
Both Microcystis and Planktothrix produce microcystin, a powerful toxin that can affect the liver, nervous system, and skin. However, the two species seem to prefer different nutrients: Microcystis uses phosphorus, while Planktothrix prefers nitrogen. Both types of algae also come in toxin-producing and non-toxic varieties, and little is known about what causes their blooms to become toxic.
A Fateful Bond
When harmful algal blooms approach shoreline communities along Lake Erie, residents get worried: in addition to being generally unpleasant, the overabundance of blue-green algae could very well be producing microcystin, a toxin that affects the liver, skin, and nervous system. Water treatment plants that draw drinking water directly from the lake have learned to deal with the toxin, but the additional treatment cost can add up quickly at $3,000 per day.
An additional problem is posed by the fact that not all algal blooms are toxic, not all seemingly clear water is free of microcystin, and not all of the microcystin produced in an algal bloom is dissolved in the water column. Some of it may also adhere to sediments, which would make the toxin stick around for longer than it would if it remained in the water.
Environmental Education Goes Local
Students who live in Great Lakes states or near an ocean coast may know about the importance of those natural resources from school, but many have never had the chance to experience that particular ecosystem up close. To help them connect the theory of what they learn in class with hands-on experiences that bring them closer to their local natural areas, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created the Bay Watershed Education & Training (B-WET) program in 2002.
After the Birds Have Gone
The words “avian influenza” – more commonly referred to as “bird flu” – still have a scary ring to them, even a few years after the massive media coverage from Asia. While the stories have all but disappeared from American news, researchers around the world continue to focus on avian influenza viruses, tracking their movements, and working to prevent their spread and contain outbreaks.
Keeping It Clean
On a warm, sunny day, the Lake Erie shore abounds with visitors. From beachgoers and swimmers to anglers and boaters, people often travel from far away to spend time on the lakeshore, and businesses in the region rely on visitor spending for much of their income.
Those businesses include recreational marinas, where private boat owners and charter captains dock their vessels when they’re not out on the lake. Because of their location right on (and in) the water, marinas along the Lake Erie shore contribute greatly to the health and wellbeing of the lake ecosystem.
Twine Line Magazine
I act as managing editor for Ohio Sea Grant’s Twine Line magazine, from creating the editorial table of contents to managing print and online production.
Exchange of Ideas
A big part of the Stone Lab experience, aside from doing science in a real-world island setting, is exploring knowledge and sharing ideas with like-minded individuals from all over the Great Lakes region. This can be especially important for working professionals like the educators that take classes at Stone Lab every summer, as this exchange of ideas helps them adapt learning to their specific education setting.
Ohio Sea Grant Email Newsletters
I manage Ohio Sea Grant’s email newsletter program, from a monthly general newsletter to specialized research and donor newsletters.
Put-in-Bay Celebrates Battle of Lake Erie Bicentennial
200 years ago, men in uniform were a well-known presence at Put-in-Bay, as sailors of the United States Navy were stationed there during the War of 1812. uring Labor Day weekend 2013, uniforms – this time worn by both men and women – again made an appearance during the festivities that celebrated the Bicentennial of the Battle of Lake Erie.