Deidre Peroff

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/learning-about-manoomin/

Deidre Peroff

Lessons in wild ricing and wild rice lake restoration

On: November 16, 2023

In: Carly Lapin, Clam Lake Wisconsin, Deb Connell, Deidre Peroff, Donald Chosa, Kristen Blann, Manoomin Psin Knowledge Symposium, Spring Lake Wisconsin, Spur Lake Wisconsin, The Nature Conservancy, Thomas Howes, Todd Haley, Tony Havranek, wild rice, wild rice nutrition facts, Wisconsin Sea Grant wild rice poster, WSB

Science Communicator Marie Zhuikov attended a Wild Rice Symposium recently, along with hundreds of other people. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Wisconsin Sea Grant sponsored a recent symposium on wild rice, which I had the chance to attend as did Deidre Peroff, our social science outreach specialist. The “Manoomin/Psin Knowledge Symposium” was held at the Black Bear Resort in Carlton, Minnesota, in mid-November.

The manoomin display that Wisconsin Sea Grant and Nature Conservancy staff helped create. Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Symposium-goers were offered instant inspiration by a large manoomin display at the registration table, which was created by Peroff, our creative manager Sarah Congdon, and Kristen Blann with The Nature Conservancy.

Most interesting were sessions where speakers described what wild rice means to them and tips for harvesting it.

Here are seven key things to keep in mind when harvesting wild rice in the fall and the names of the people who offered the advice:

Unprocessed wild rice features a long tail-like barb that can have uncomfortable consequences for unwary harvesters. It can sometimes get stuck in people’s tear ducts, requiring careful extraction! If this happens to you, you’ll be crying “warrior tears.” (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa)
Harvesters sometimes also inhale the rice and the barbs get stuck in their throats, making it hard to breathe and eliciting coughing. It’s a good idea to bring bread along while harvesting in case this happens. Eating the bread can dislodge the rice barb from a person’s throat. (Deb Connell, ricer, Lac du Flambeau)
“Don’t harvest rice at your convenience. Harvest it when it’s ready.” (Todd Haley, Lac du Flambeau Band of Ojibwe)
If your canoe tips over while ricing, it does not have any special Ojibwe cultural meaning other than, “It means you’ll get wet!” (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa) (I was especially keen on this information after my recent “immersive” wild rice experience.)
Lift weights to strengthen your arms for ricing for about a month beforehand. (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa)
Having music playing in the canoe makes the ricing day go faster. (Various speakers)
The best way to learn how to rice better is to copy someone’s movements who is a good ricer. (Donald Chosa, Bois Forte Band of Chippewa)

I also learned about three projects in Wisconsin that were successful in bringing wild rice back to lakes where it had disappeared. These involved Spur Lake (Oneida County), Clam Lake (Burnett County), and Spring Lake (Washburn County).

Nutritious wild rice is a true super food when compared to white rice, as noted in this image from one of the symposium speakers.

Carly Lapin with the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said that Spur Lake, a historically important wild rice lake, began having trouble in 2009 when water levels became too high for wild rice to grow. She attributed this to beaver population recovery in the area and human alternations of the landscape. Also, aquatic invasive plant growth was out competing the wild rice.

Lapin said the DNR conducted a hydrologic study on the lake in cooperation with the Sokaogon Chippewa community to determine what was causing the water retention. In 2021, resource managers took advantage of naturally low water levels to remove competing vegetation with a mechanical harvester. The next year, they seeded the lake with wild rice and protected several plots with fencing to keep swans from eating the rice shoots. The protected areas grew successfully. A stream (Twin Lakes Creek) that provided outflow from the lake was restored and a harvest was able to occur in 2023.

Tony Havranek, an engineer with WSB, which is a design and consulting firm from Minneapolis, described the Clam Lake and Spring Lake projects. Clam Lake features two parts, an Upper and Lower Clam Lake. The lower part traditionally had wild rice, which declined from 2001-2009. In 2007 and 2008 the lake failed to grow any rice, which concerned the St. Croix Tribe. The tribe undertook studies with partners, who discovered that a steep rise in the population of common carp in the lake was the likely culprit. The age of the carp corresponded to the beginning of the rice crop failure. Havranek said the lake was home to 79,000 individuals, which equaled 670,000 pounds of fish.

“This is four times the tipping point for the lake environment,” Havranek said.

An integrated pest management plan was developed. Actions included installing barriers (nets) around the wild rice beds to keep out the carp, removing the carp from the lake and seeding the beds with local wild rice. Havranek said that over several years, 76,000 carp were removed.

By 2017, rice abundance had increased. Originally, 288 acres of rice beds were in the lake. By 2017, 177 acres had regrown, and harvest was able to begin again.

A successful wild rice harvest. Image credit: Thomas Howes, Fond du Lac Resource Management

Wild rice recovery at Spring Lake is still a work in progress. Problems began in 2000 when the outlet of the lake was changed. Floating leaf vegetation began taking over the lake. Herbicide was applied and unwanted plants were physically removed. After these actions, in 2005, rice was harvested.

However, rice production has declined recently (2016) due to cattail encroachment on the rice habitat. The cattails were mechanically removed and used for compost. Havernak said the rice harvest returned in 2017-2020 but that the lake is still struggling with rice production.

“We hope to remove more cattails and then put the lake on a monitoring schedule,” Havernak said.

Peroff and I staffed a table of publications at the symposium, which included our “ASC Chronicle” newsletter and a wild rice poster that features Ojibwe names for the different life stages of wild rice. The poster was very popular. It’s available online for free download here, or if you want a professionally printed version, you can contact Peroff at dmperoff@aqua.wisc.edu.

I left the event with a new appreciation for the complexities of wild rice management and harvesting. For a foraged food that’s strong enough to cause “warrior tears” or even choking, it remains incredibly fragile and needs our attention and care.

The post Lessons in wild ricing and wild rice lake restoration first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/lessons-in-wild-ricing-and-wild-rice-lake-restoration/

Summer scholars dip toes into water-related careers: Part one

On: August 18, 2023

In: Bonnie Willison, Coastal restoration, Deidre Peroff, manoomin, Summer scholars, Titus Seilheimer, Video, water safety

What did you do this summer?

A red children's toy buried in beach sand

A red toy buried in sand at Bradford Beach. Photo credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

It’s a question that, in the middle of August, might prompt panicked reexamination of how you spent the long, warm days of a fleeting season. For Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Summer Outreach Opportunities Program scholars, the answers come easily.

This summer, 12 undergraduate students from across the country spent a jam-packed 10 weeks collaborating with outreach specialists on coastal and water resources projects across Wisconsin. Scholars conducted research, engaged kids and adults and shared the stories of Great Lakes science, all while working alongside mentors to explore careers and graduate education in the aquatic sciences.

Whether they wrangled fish in Green Bay or researched green infrastructure in Ashland, scholars have much to share about how they spent their summers. Here’s the first snapshot of four projects.

Project: Beach Ambassador Program for Great Lakes Water Safety

When Alan Liang and his fellow beach ambassadors push their powder-blue cart across Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, curious beachgoers often approach with a question: What are you selling?

Alan Lian g pushes the blue Beach Ambassador cart from the shed.

Alan Liang pushes the beach ambassador cart as he starts a shift at the beach. Photo credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Liang explains they’re not peddling cold treats. The brightly colored cart is filled with pamphlets about beach safety, not paletas, and the team is working to build awareness around the changeable water conditions of Lake Michigan.

“Our mission is to spread information as educators about how to keep yourself safe on the beach since there are no lifeguards,” said Liang.

A collaboration between Wisconsin Sea Grant and Milwaukee-area partners, the Beach Ambassador Program began in 2021 in response to an increased number of drownings at Milwaukee beaches. Ambassadors, like summer scholar Liang, are trained to share water safety information with the public, including how to properly wear a life vest, escape a rip current, recognize water quality conditions and determine whether it’s safe to swim. Social Science Outreach Specialist Deidre Peroff serves as one of the program’s mentors.

Weather permitting, ambassadors rove the beach Thursdays through Sundays and begin each shift by gathering at their “shed” on the beach. The team then records the weather and water conditions for that day on a whiteboard: wind speed and direction, water temperature and quality and UV index. Those data then inform the conversations ambassadors initiate with beachgoers.

“For example, yesterday we had very strong winds from the northeast, which would generate a lot of longshore currents,” said Liang. “So that’s what we would talk about because that was the big concern for that day.”

Liang, a sophomore at UW–Madison majoring in computer science and environmental studies and a former math tutor, was drawn to the program because he likes teaching. “I wanted to do something a little bit more education-based, and I thought this was a great fit for me because I’ve also spent a lot of time around water.”

Approaching people, however, can be difficult. It helps that beach ambassadors move as a group, but Liang said this summer has challenged him to get outside of his comfort zone. “I feel like I’ve learned to overcome those awkward, uncomfortable situations,” said Liang.

A Beach Ambassador shows a informative flyer about longshore currents

A beach ambassador holds a factsheet about longshore currents. Photo credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Not all outreach happens near water. In addition to pulling ambassador shifts at Bradford Beach, Liang tabled at the Green & Healthy Schools Conference and talked with other Milwaukee-based, environmental justice-focused organizations. The goal is to connect with more audiences. “This helps to promote beach safety among those who may be hesitant to go to the beach at all,” said Liang.

He is also designing a website for the program that will launch in early fall. He likes that the project melds both of his interests and shows a possible path forward in both the environmental and computer science fields.

Although the future is on his mind, Liang is also enjoying the present moment, spending the summer along Lake Michigan in his hometown.

“It’s nice to just be where you’re from and interact with the people from your community.”

Project: Restoration and Monitoring of Coastal Habitats

Isabelle Haverkampf and Gweni Malokofsky spent their summers the way many of us wish we could: on the water. Under the mentorship of Fisheries Specialist Titus Seilheimer, Haverkampf and Malokofsky have been working on multiple projects in the Lake Michigan watershed, including surveying fish and manoomin (wild rice) in Green Bay and collecting water quality and site assessment data at Forget-Me-Not Creek between Two Rivers and Manitowoc.

Isabelle Haverkampf in waders releases a fish into the water.

Isabelle Haverkampf releases a fish back into the water. Photo credit: Isabelle Haverkampf

A highlight of the summer was fish monitoring. For one week each month, the scholars worked with partner organizations at four sites in the bay of Green Bay in Lake Michigan, setting fykes and hauling seine nets to collect data on the species, size and number of fish caught. Prior to this summer, neither had much experience handling fish.

“I was uncomfortable holding and measuring bigger fish at the beginning, but I’ve definitely gotten much better at it,” said Haverkampf.

Gweni Malokofsky in waders holding up painted turtles

Gweni Malokofsky holds painted turtles she encountered during fish monitoring. Photo credit: Gweni Malokofsky

Together, the team netted banded killifish, yellow perch, gar, bowfins and bullheads. Some species, Malokofsky learned, were more cooperative than others.

“The bowfins are definitely the hardest to deal with,” Malokofsky said. “If they don’t want to sit there, they won’t.”

Overall, the experience affirmed the scholars’ interest in working in the natural resources field. Haverkampf, a water science and geology double major who will graduate from Northland College in December, gained clarity about what she wants to study in graduate school.

The team measures fish caught during their survey

The team measures a fish. Photo credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

“I’ve found I really want to go into the water sciences sector, specifically in restoration or resource work,” she said, adding that she’s interested in how contaminants move through aquatic food webs.

Malokofsky, a sophomore at UW–Green Bay majoring in biology with an emphasis in ecology and conservation, appreciated the hands-on introduction to field work.

“I’m glad that I’m learning how to use different kinds of probes and tools and field equipment I previously haven’t had experience with,” she said.

Another perk of the experience? Knowing the best places for a peaceful paddle. Malokofsky said her family just got kayaks and canoes this summer. “Now I know some places I’d like to take them to.”

Project: Harvesting Manoomin as a Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy

This summer, Elliot Benjamin and Lucia Richardson immersed themselves in the stories and science of manoomin, also known as psiŋ or wild rice. Manoomin is an important food source with cultural and spiritual significance to the Native nations of the Great Lakes region but has been declining in range and abundance. Working with Social Science Outreach Specialist Deidre Peroff and partner organizations in Minnesota, the scholars participated in field work, field trips and independent study to learn how manoomin is connected to human, plant and animal communities and how those connections can help the plant thrive—despite changes in climate, water quality, land use and hydrology that threaten its existence.

Summer scholar Elliot Benjamin. Photo credit: Elliot Benjamin

For Benjamin, a senior at Marquette University majoring in sociology and gender studies with a minor in English, this summer was an opportunity to take a deeper dive and learn more about the ecological importance of a plant they first encountered in a Native American literature course.

“I knew some of the cultural significance and had read a little bit on my own,” said Benjamin, “but I didn’t know a lot about the biology of the plant itself and the history of the Anishinaabeg culture and all the different factors that are harming [manoomin].”

Summer scholar Lucia Richardson. Photo credit: Lucia Richardson

Richardson, a junior at Northland College majoring in nature and humanities with a minor in Native American studies, was also familiar with manoomin, having made rice knockers and participated in harvesting. This summer, she learned more about the relationships between manoomin, water quality, wildlife and the overall ecosystem.

“Manoomin is a keystone species,” said Richardson. “Manoomin in a habitat means that it’s a healthy, thriving habitat.”

Both scholars worked on capstone projects that raise awareness of the plant but also foster relationships between people.

Benjamin wrote an essay blending what they’ve learned about manoomin with reflections on their identity as a trans person.

“I wanted to take a more personal reflection approach to it,” they said, noting the capstone was a good opportunity to tap into their training in the humanities. Benjamin plans to submit the piece to an academic journal currently seeking papers about trans perspectives and ecology.

Richardson built upon an oral history project she began at Northland College transcribing and digitizing interviews with Bad River and Red Cliff tribal elders and government officials. Recorded in the 1970s, the oral histories were recently found on cassette tapes in the Northland Indigenous Culture Center and feature both personal and tribal history. Richardson is returning the tapes to tribal governments and hopes to collaborate on a future project.

As humanities students, Benjamin and Richardson appreciated how the summer exposed them to scientific topics and field work while welcoming their perspectives as nonscientists. Both are considering futures in environmental studies. Said Benjamin, “[The summer scholar experience] made it feel more attainable.”

Project: Environmental Video Production

Jeremy Van Mill stands in waders in a wetland, holding a camera.

Van Mill out in the field. Photo credit: Bonnie Willison

Jeremy Van Mill knows that observation is a good teacher—a lesson his summer scholar experience has helped him appreciate in a new way. Alongside video producer Bonnie Willison, Van Mill travelled across Wisconsin filming and photographing Sea Grant-funded researchers, outreach specialists and fellow summer scholars in the field. With no formal training in the aquatic sciences, Van Mill learned by watching and listening with his camera.

“One of the things I really enjoy about this position is that I am exposed to topics that I don’t have any experience with,” said Van Mill.

Van Mill, a second-year student in visual communications at Madison College, profiled the work of Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist, Scott McComb, and edited a video about groundwater flooding research on Crystal and Mud lakes in Dane County. He also edited the audio for a live performance of “Me and Debry,” a Sea Grant-funded play about marine debris, and photographed numerous events and outings.

The experience invited Van Mill to practice different ways of telling stories and producing videos. “It’s forcing me to stretch and change and reconsider the way I do things,” he said.

Fisheries Specialist Titus Seilheimer holds up a tiny brown bullhead in a container.

One of Van Mill’s favorite moments he captured this summer: Titus Seilheimer and a little, whiskery brown bullhead. Photo credit: Jeremy Van Mill

For example, letting the footage shape the story. In his previous film projects, Van Mill knew exactly what he was getting into: with script in hand, location scouted and actors rehearsed, he could plan out every shot in advance. That sort of control isn’t possible when filming in a poorly lit laboratory or on a boat in Lake Michigan, especially if your subjects move in unpredictable ways.

“You have to take a step back a little bit and stop trying to stage things or control different elements and seize the opportunities you have,” said Van Mill.

That means being present, paying attention and letting the story unfold on its own. “You’re sort of like a fly on the wall more than you’re producing video,” said Van Mill.

A close up shot of butterfly that shows all the little hairs on its body. Photo credit: Jeremy Van Mill

Van Mill’s macro photography captures small creatures up close, like this butterfly. Photo credit: Jeremy Van Mill

Speaking of flies, Van Mill films them, too. While in college, he started dabbling in macro videography and photography, meaning he films very small things. His subject of choice? Insects. Van Mill has spent hours finding and filming various critters going about their insectile agendas on beaches and in backyards.

“I learned a lot about insects by observing them,” said Van Mill. The videos reveal details people don’t usually see, like the tiny hairs on a fly’s leg or the coiling proboscis of a butterfly.

So much of the world opens up when you pay attention. Van Mill said it best: “Everyday things become extraordinary with a different angle or different perspective.”

The post Summer scholars dip toes into water-related careers: Part one first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/summer-scholars-dip-toes-into-water-related-careers-part-one/

Jenna Mertz

Milwaukee marine debris prevention program to expand

On: April 21, 2023

In: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, Deidre Peroff, Inflation Reduction Act, marine debris, Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee Riverkeeper

Wisconsin Sea Grant (WISG) today announced it is expanding a successful marine-debris-prevention project in Milwaukee and will build on that success to spark similar awareness and action in a fellow Great Lakes city, Cleveland.

Marine debris is an increasing global problem that causes negative impacts in oceans, the Great Lakes and other waterways. Nearly 22 million pounds of plastics enter the Great Lakes each year, according to a Rochester Institute of Technology study.

Plastic trash spread on a blue background

A collection of plastic trash recently removed from a Wisconsin waterway. Image: Bonnie Willison, Wisconsin Sea Grant

In Milwaukee, this pollution affects Lake Michigan and local watersheds, which serve as a source of drinking water, offer recreation for residents and support ecosystems for wildlife and fish. With plastic pollution on the rise, the Lake Michigan freshwater ecosystem and the people surrounding it are at risk of negative health impacts that can be mitigated by increasing awareness of plastic pollution through youth education, actionable science and civic action. Similarly, plastic pollution is a problem in Lake Erie’s ecosystem and for those who live, work and recreate in Cleveland.

In 2021, WISG joined forces with Milwaukee Riverkeeper, a key player in an initiative called Plastic-Free MKE, to coordinate Milwaukee youth to lead civic engagement projects on how to reduce single-use plastics in their schools. As part of an initial grant received from the National Sea Grant Office’s Marine Debris program, the groups created a plastics audit, shared a plastics education toolkit about how plastics impact water quality and human health and provided resources to students and teachers on how they can reduce plastic pollution in their homes and schools.

“We’re excited to see Plastic-Free MKE be a model for other cities that have great intentions towards reducing single-use plastics but needed some support to be more organized to build a local coalition in their city,” said Deidre Peroff, WISG social scientist. “I look forward to continuing collaborating on this initiative in Milwaukee as well. We plan to continue our partnership with Milwaukee Public Schools to get more plastics education into classrooms and provide space for students to lead the effort.”

Social Scientist Deidre Peroff is looking forward to continuing marine debris education in Milwaukee Public Schools.

Peroff said she and Milwaukee Riverkeeper will share their success from Plastic-Free MKE with businesses and individuals in Cleveland to encourage the reduction of single-use plastics, which ultimately protects the waters, wildlife and people’s health

This project was competitively selected. It was part of a competition through two opportunities supported by the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and leveraging funds from the Inflation Reduction Act: The Marine Debris Challenge Competition and The Marine Debris Communication Action Coalitions. The laws are infusing a total of $27 million nationwide, administered through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to marine debris education, prevention, cleanup and research initiatives. In addition to the project in Wisconsin, another 18 community-based projects are being funded, along with 10 research projects. The Wisconsin project is funded at $300,000 for two years.

The post Milwaukee marine debris prevention program to expand first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/milwaukee-marine-debris-prevention-program-to-expand/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=milwaukee-marine-debris-prevention-program-to-expand

Moira Harrington

Hiring Beach Ambassadors

On: February 22, 2023

In: beach ambassador, Deidre Peroff

The post Hiring Beach Ambassadors first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/hiring-beach-ambassadors/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hiring-beach-ambassadors

Moira Harrington

Deidre Peroff, social science and Sea Grant by numbers

On: November 21, 2022

In: Deidre Peroff, human dimension of aquatic science, sea grant and social science

Doing the math gives you numbers:

2022 – 2016 = 6
2012 – 1972 = 40

What is the story behind those numbers?

The first simple equation represents how long Deidre Peroff has been the Wisconsin Sea Grant social scientist: six years.

As Sea Grant celebrates a 50-year anniversary in 2022, the second computation indicates the program functioned for 40 years prior to bringing on board a social scientist. (Peroff succeeded Jane Harrison who had been hired in 2012.)

Deidre Peroff, social science outreach specialist. Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

The numbers of six and 40, then, demonstrate the evolution of how those in the Sea Grant program deepened an understanding of and recognized the value of bringing a human dimension to freshwater and coastal science. Social science complements the natural sciences that Sea Grant has long been known for, disciplines like biology, physics and chemistry as they relate to things like the Lake Michigan fishery, Lake Superior coastal processes or Great Lakes water quality.

Now, we’ll throw in an additional number, the number one. Peroff is one person who touches all of the focus areas in which Sea Grant currently operates. Those areas are healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient communities and economies and environmental literacy and workforce development. Her fellow Sea Grant outreach specialists mostly concentrate on one of those focus areas.

Some examples of her projects include manoomin and raising awareness about this wild rice, communicating to low-income communities about severe weather and water safety.

Just as Sea Grant evolved to incorporate social science in its portfolio, Peroff herself has evolved during her time in this role. She has increasingly devoted energy to social and environmental justice. “Some of the topics are really straightforward, focused on environmental justice and, with others, I just make sure we are incorporating equity and diversity and very much thinking about the DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) principles.”

Peroff noted environmental justice is itself a newer concept. “That’s something that’s really changed in the last 50 years. That wasn’t even a term in the ‘80s. In the 1990s, President Clinton issued an executive order regarding environmental justice, for federal agencies to consider environmental justice and how projects may disproportionately affect more vulnerable communities than others.”

She expanded on this. “You think about the environmental movement, and you need to go back, go way back even in the last 100 or 200 years, how environmental solutions aren’t being equally advantageous to different communities.” She continued, “The national park system was developed but a lot of Indigenous people were displaced because of the national parks. Twenty years ago, I would have thought this is great and national parks are great. They protect wildlife and they’re good to have green spaces but it’s really important in terms of environmental justice to think about the whole picture.”

Into the next 50 years, Peroff said, social science has to be a part of understanding and working toward environmental justice. It’s a thrust she’d like to expand. “We are headed in the right direction on social justice,” Peroff said, “People are thinking about it a lot…corporations are learning more about racial and social justice issues.” She tempered it a bit by saying she and others have much more to learn.

On the nature of society’s environmental complexities, Peroff is passionate about being multidisciplinary. “While we need to use both natural and physical sciences to further understand environmental problems, it is important to place equal value on social science to understand how society contributed to the problem. Better integration between the sciences is needed to fully understand a problem to come up with a solution.”

Finally, in Peroff’s ideal future 50 years, we would use social science to broaden people’s horizons and crack the code to bring about behavior change. “Right now,” using climate change as an example, “behavior change is hard. It’s not happening with data alone.” She added, “in order to have impact, it’s important to relate to people.”

Perhaps we could summon all these numbers into the corner to help—10 years of having a social scientist contributing to the Sea Grant mission, one current dynamo with a firm commitment to results and another 50 years of Sea Grant dedication to affecting change.

The post Deidre Peroff, social science and Sea Grant by numbers first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/deidre-peroff-social-science-and-sea-grant-by-numbers/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=deidre-peroff-social-science-and-sea-grant-by-numbers

Moira Harrington

Stop the “buy-in”: Perspectives on community engagement from BIPOC youth leaders at the annual Great Lakes/Healing Our Waters Conference

On: October 25, 2022

In: Brenda Santoyo, Brooke Bowers, Deidre Peroff, Dynasty Caesar, environmental perspectives, Healing Our Waters 2022 conference, Joe Fitzgerald, Lindsey Bacigal, Milwaukee, youth panel

The HOW Youth Panel. From left to right: Lindsey Bacigal, Dynasty Caesar, Joe Fitzgerald, Brenda Santoyo, and Brooke Bowers. Image credit: Deidre Peroff

Sea Grant’s Social Science Outreach Specialist, Deidre Peroff, recently attended an inspiring conference and offered these reflections.

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, we were finally able to host the 2022 Healing Our Waters/Great Lakes Conference in Milwaukee. It did not disappoint! There are so many things I love and respect about this organization and about this conference. What inspires me most is that they really “get it” concerning issues of environmental and social justice, and the importance of bringing diverse voices to the table – particularly those from BIPOC communities who traditionally have been underrepresented in environmental work.

This was obvious from the conference panelists, presenters, and attendees. When I looked around the room, I was inspired to see black and brown faces. When I sat back to hear the presenters, it was motivating to see these faces centered and leading discussion on important topics that affect us all and speaking from podiums, rather than in the background.

In addition, while there is a laundry list of topics that could be presented at a conference focusing on environmental issues in the Great Lakes, this conference takes a deep dive into topics and provides a platform to uplift voices of those most affected by the topics that are often overlooked in other events.

Some key questions addressed include: How can we create a communications plan to activate communities in environmental change? How have community voices been elevated in fighting PFAS and impacts on residents? What does climate resilience mean to Indigenous populations and those impacted by toxic drinking water? What should be policy priorities to advance equity in ensuring safe drinking water through drinking water infrastructure and water affordability? And, what can we learn from youth in strategizing the future of the environmental movement?

While all of these questions were important and influential, I found myself diligently scribbling notes on the key points that were addressed in the youth panel. I wanted to introduce these amazing panelists and share some of their points here:

Brooke Bowers, a youth leader for We the People of Detroit, has the eloquence and knowledge of someone decades older than her 14 years. When reflecting on the importance of engaging youth in solving complex environmental problems she pointed out, “Who is going to carry on your work when all of you are gone? If we, as the next generation, aren’t taught this stuff and given a voice, wouldn’t all of your work have gone to waste?”

The three other panelists included Brenda Santoyo, a senior policy analyst at Little Village Environmental Justice Organization in Chicago; Dynasty Caesar, senior campaign organizer at the Redress Movement in Milwaukee; and Lindsey Bacigal, communications coordinator at Healing Our Waters – Great Lakes Coalition in Michigan.

Another overlapping theme was the importance of equity in the approach people use to engage community members in solving problems. Bowers pointed out that, despite good intentions, she’s seen people come into her community with their own agenda without bringing local priorities to the forefront. She stated, “Don’t downgrade problems we have in our own communities as being insignificant to your agenda and stop trying to help us out without giving us a voice in our own community.”

Caesar agreed that without community involvement from the beginning, people end up working on solving what they think should be prioritized rather than what is needed in the communities they are trying to serve.

She urged participants to stop the “buy-in” to projects. With the approach of communities “buying in” to projects their voices are not centered in the development, and objectives are developed outside of the communities they are trying to serve. She stated, “Don’t let your grant limit your scope and shadow work already being done. Instead, just be a good neighbor – you can’t be successful if you don’t talk to neighbors, otherwise it’s just your agenda.”

Similarly, there was a discussion on how to be more accommodating and equitable in encouraging underserved communities to be environmental stewards. Caesar shared stories of how people often try to support environmental initiatives or purchase “sustainable” products but sometimes this is just not possible because of financial barriers and lack of accessibility. While it’s easy to tell someone that they are doing the wrong thing (e.g., using plastic bottles), deeper issues are usually hiding regarding trust in having safe drinking water and inequitable pricing on products advertised as “eco.” She argued the importance and stated, “How can we make this space not so elitist and make corporations more accountable?”

Finally, how can we better equip young people to come into this space and lift their voices? Bacigal expressed the need to respect and value youth outside of just having them represented as a “check box” (tokenism) but instead, listening to them and asking your organization, “how are we supporting youth?”

Bowers mentioned social media as a way to engage youth and others pointed out specifically that, while for decades the environmental movement has been predominately white, we all need to be intentional in creating more spaces for BIPOC involvement.

Santoyo also included that “burnout is real” and the need to prioritize mental and physical health in the workplace so that we can all support each other to do this tiring work… perhaps something we all know too well.

To wrap up, Caesar acknowledged, “This isn’t a personal attack on any of you, but it’s the reality of the situation. If you felt moved, take the time to change it. We are all on this planet and we need to take care of it and stop shaming people.”

Thank you to Joe Fitzgerald of Milwaukee Water Commons for putting this panel together and for the four “rock star” women on the panel. If this is what our next generation looks like we are indeed in good hands.

The post Stop the “buy-in”: Perspectives on community engagement from BIPOC youth leaders at the annual Great Lakes/Healing Our Waters Conference first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

In: Amy Lentz, Deidre Peroff, science communications toolkit, University of Wisconsin-Milwuakee School of Freshwater Sciences

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/stop-the-buy-in-perspectives-on-community-engagement-from-bipoc-youth-leaders-at-the-annual-great-lakes-healing-our-waters-conference/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=stop-the-buy-in-perspectives-on-community-engagement-from-bipoc-youth-leaders-at-the-annual-great-lakes-healing-our-waters-conference

Deidre Peroff

New science communication tool available

On: March 2, 2022

An example of information provided by the Science Communications Toolkit.

Looking for help communicating about science to a nonscientist audience? A new publication is available to help students and researchers. Written by Amy Lentz, a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences professional master’s program and edited by Wisconsin Sea Grant Social Science Outreach Specialist Deidre Peroff, this free, downloadable “Science Communications Toolkit” offers tips to help make science more understandable to audiences such as elected officials, possible employers, grade-school students and reporters.

In addition, the publication contains suggestions for developing effective graphs, PowerPoint slides and social media messages. Funding was provided by Wisconsin Sea Grant in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay in Manitowoc and the Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust, Inc.

Take a look and make your science stand out.

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Beach Ambassadors fill vital role on Milwaukee beach

On: June 29, 2021

In: Beach Ambassadors, Bradford Beach, Deidre Peroff, Jumana Tanner

This summer on Bradford Beach in Milwaukee, swimmers might notice people in light blue T-shirts pushing an ice cream cart across the sand. Instead of frozen treats, the cart contains brochures and other information that beachgoers need to keep safe.

This cart, filled with water safety information, is a centerpiece of the new Beach Ambassador program on Bradford Beach in Milwaukee. Image credit: Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant

The cart is part of a new Beach Ambassador Pilot Project run by Wisconsin Sea Grant, Milwaukee Water Commons, Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Coastline Services LLC and the Milwaukee Community Sailing Center. These organizations created the project in response to four drownings that occurred on McKinley Beach in Milwaukee in 2020, and an increase in beachgoers because of the pandemic.

“Obviously, there were not that many things to do during the pandemic, so a lot more people were getting outside and utilizing the beach,” said Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s social science outreach specialist. “People were coming from all different backgrounds and different levels of swimming knowledge and competency, so it was just really risky.”

Peroff said there was a lifeguard shortage last year and that this year, in 2021, there are no lifeguards on Milwaukee beaches. This makes the Beach Ambassador project even more relevant. She explained the project is not designed to replace lifeguards, “But just to provide education and information for people so that they can protect themselves, and then, hopefully, share that information with others. There’s also a social justice element to it because all four people who drowned at McKinley Beach last year were African American.”

This project supports Peroff’s ongoing work to address racial disparities around swimming in Milwaukee and providing access to more opportunities for people to have meaningful experiences with water.

With funding from a National Sea Grant Covid 19 Pandemic Relief Social Justice grant that was matched by Milwaukee Water Commons, three beach ambassadors were hired as well as an intern. The ambassadors are walking Bradford Beach in teams with their cart each Thursday through Sunday from Memorial Day to Labor Day in 2021. (McKinley Beach is closed.) They inform people about topics related to water safety such as water quality conditions, rip currents, dehydration and hypothermia. The ambassadors encourage them to check the Milwaukee County Parks Weather and Beach Conditions website for more information and also let them know where safety equipment is located on the beach, should it be needed.

Jumana Tanner and Deidre Peroff. Image credit: Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Jumana Tanner is the intern Peroff hired for the Beach Ambassador project. A sophomore enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison studying marine biology, Tanner is excited about spending time on the beach several days each week.

“I’m definitely getting a lot of hands-on experience with people. There’s a lot of networking and interactions with the public and strategizing how to effectively communicate about science. I have realized it doesn’t matter how much knowledge I might have – being able to effectively communicate that with people makes a greater difference,” Tanner said.

Tanner was thankful for the extensive training she received leading up to her posting as a beach ambassador. She said the ambassadors learned about dangerous currents, E. coli testing and drowning statistics. They also practiced various educational scenarios for interacting with the public.

With her colorful headscarf and heart-shaped sunglasses, Tanner cuts an unusual and enthusiastic figure on the beach. Besides providing beach information, she sees her internship as an opportunity to show people her character and Muslim culture, as well as furthering her career goals.

“I try to match my scarf with something else on me like jewelry or my shoes. When I come up to people with my bubbly personality, they get that color coordination to match with it. I use it to show people what my personality’s like and that I’m not intimidating. They shouldn’t be scared of me.

“My ultimate career goal is to effectively communicate with people about discoveries in our water. Our water is our greatest resource and it’s not being taken care of the way it takes care of us. That’s an issue for the future,” Tanner said.

Besides walking the beach, Tanner is helping to evaluate the project to shape it for possible future use at additional beaches. After each engagement with the public, the ambassadors write down what kind of information they provided and how people reacted.

Peroff said she’s not sure what the next steps will be for this unique program. “We’ll see how it goes and see if people are finding it valuable and go from there.”

The Beach Ambassadors and their mentors. From left to right, back row: Jumana Tanner, Deidre Peroff, Dylan Tripler, Jacob Donovan, Stephanie Alvarez, Teresa Coronado. Front: Lloyd Seawright, Cesar Castillo. Image credit: Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant

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In: Belle Papparlardo, Clement J. Zablocki Community School, Deidre Peroff, Diallo Tyler, Great Lakes plastic pollution, Lake Michigan plastic pollution, Leah Holloway, Milwuakee Riverkeeper, Plastic Free MKE, University of Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences

Plastic-free program targets Milwaukee

On: March 8, 2021

Plastic pollution at the Magee Marsh Wildlife Area on Lake Erie demonstrates the problem of marine debris in the Great Lakes. Image credit: NOAA

The statistics are daunting: 93% of water bottled in the Great Lakes region contains microplastics. 85% of trash found on Great Lakes beaches is plastic. 21.8 million pounds of plastics enter the Great Lakes each year.

Strolling through her Milwaukee community, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s Social Science Outreach Specialist Deidre Peroff said the plastic problem is obvious. “I live a five-minute walk from Lake Michigan. I’ve seen a lot of plastic trash out there and participated in some of the cleanups in the past or even on my own – just walking along, bringing a bag to put trash in.”

She worked with Leah Holloway from Milwaukee Riverkeeper, a science-based advocacy nonprofit, to develop a plastic project proposal since Peroff was aware of Riverkeeper’s involvement in a Milwaukee initiative to reduce plastics, called Plastic-Free MKE. The goal of the proposal is to reduce the amount of plastics that enter Lake Michigan. In 2020, the team was awarded two years of funding through the National Sea Grant-Marine Debris Special Projects Competition for “Plastic-Free MKE: Assessment and Education to Support Lake-Friendly Schools.”

Peroff described the project. “We came up with the idea to do education, focusing on a student-led, civic action project where students would do an audit of their schools or their classrooms and figure out how much plastic they are using, and then assess the inventory and figure out if it’s a problem or whether they are using more than that thought – and then come up with an action plan of how they could mitigate their impact on marine debris pollution.”

Belle Pappalardo is working with fifth-graders in Milwaukee to educate them about plastic pollution in the Great Lakes. Submitted photo.

The COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning for schoolchildren necessitated project modifications, turning the focus from the children’s classrooms to their own homes. To help, the team hired Belle Pappalardo, a professional master’s degree student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences. She is working with a fifth-grade class at the Clement J. Zablocki Community School in Milwaukee and their teacher, Diallo Tyler. Pappalardo researched existing marine debris toolkits, education programs and curricula. Now, she’s developing her own curriculum about the importance of fresh water and the issue of microplastics for the class, meeting with them every other Friday in a virtual session.

“The end goal is to do a plastic audit with them,” Pappalardo said. “They will do it at home. Then I’ll help them develop a student-led action plan to implement something for their school and develop a plastic pollution toolkit to take to teachers, the principal and their parents.”

Pappalardo graduates this May and hopes to find an outreach job where she can work with students and provide scientific information to the public.

Next year, Peroff hopes to hire another intern who will broaden the project’s scale and, COVID-willing, be able to work with the students for a longer time and in person.

“We’ve needed to be flexible and patient to get this project going because of many pandemic-related challenges, but we’re happy to be working with students now, even virtually. Because plastic is such a huge contributor to pollution in Wisconsin’s lakes and rivers, we figured anything we can do now to get children thinking about this issue will be a step in the right direction. The students seem to be enjoying learning about their watershed and how they can impact water quality,” Peroff said.

The post Plastic-free program targets Milwaukee first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/plastic-free-program-targets-milwaukee/

Sea Grant staff project faves, Deidre Peroff

On: December 31, 2020

In: Deidre Peroff, manoomin, wild rice education and outreach toolkit for lake superior audiences

As 2020 winds down, we asked staff members at Wisconsin Sea Grant what their favorite project was this year. Although work was a bit more challenging than usual due to our altered work circumstances, everyone managed to stay productive, and even find fulfillment.

In our last post in this series, Social Science Outreach Specialist Deidre Peroff describes her favorite project of 2020, which is the Wild Rice (Manoomin) Education and Outreach Toolkit for Lake Superior Audiences project. Funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the project is in its final stages.

“The goal is to raise awareness about Manoomin, its cultural and regional significance, its ecological function and importance, and to share information about the current threats to wild rice that may impact its resilience and future,” said Peroff. “Along with two Ph.D. students from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (Jimmy Camacho and Sarah Dance), we also worked closely with indigenous and nonindigenous partners in the region to develop educational resources to share with broad audiences to raise awareness of Manoomin and to support parallel efforts to protect and restore it for future generations.”

Part of one of the graphics developed for the project is below. We can’t wait to see the finalized versions!

Thank you for reading this series. We wish you the best in 2021.

The post Sea Grant staff project faves, Deidre Peroff first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/sea-grant-staff-project-faves-deidre-peroff/

In: african american barriers to swimming, Cheryl Bledsoe, David Thomas, Deidre Peroff, Friends of Lincoln Park, Schulz Aquatic Center Milwaukee, swimming pool racial disparities

A fight to keep Milwaukee pool open uses Sea Grant data and strong partnerships

On: August 10, 2020

Friends of Lincoln Park board members and neighbors gather at a Milwaukee County Board budget hearing to protest the planned closure of an aquatic center in their neighborhood. Cheryl Bledsoe is on the second from left. Image credit: Friends of Lincoln Park

In 2018, a group of children and their parents gathered in a hallway in the Milwaukee County Courthouse, holding signs and chanting. The signs said, “Closing our pool is mean” and “Don’t drown us in bureaucracy!”

They were protesting the proposed closure of the Schulz Aquatic Center, a relatively new facility in their Lincoln Park neighborhood that had been targeted due to county budget shortages. Many of the protesters were African American, which reflected the makeup of their neighborhood on Milwaukee’s north side.

Cheryl Bledsoe, an assistant principal at the time at Cross Trainers Academy and a board member of the Friends of Lincoln Park, announced to the news video cameras at the protest, “. . . The pool should remain open so our current African American youths have the opportunity to receive swimming lessons at that pool . . . I don’t think it’s fair that since 1995, five public pools on the north side have been closed . . . Lincoln Park pool will not close under my watch.”

The Schulz Aquatic Center in Milwaukee was built in 2009. Image credit: Quorum Architects Inc.

The data behind Bledsoe’s statement about the number of pool closures came from a mapping project undertaken by Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant’s social science outreach specialist in Milwaukee. The interactive Google Earth map she developed with Reflo, a local nonprofit, provided pivotal information, which, when brought to light by the friends group, ultimately helped convince the Milwaukee County Board to keep the pool open and make their budget cuts elsewhere.

“Basically, we looked at where swimming pools are and where they have been historically, all the way back to the 1930s,” Peroff said. “What the map indicated pretty clearly is they’re mostly closing in the north side of the city, which is a predominantly Black community.”

Peroff said she started the mapping project as part of her duties as co-chair of an education and recreation committee of Milwaukee Water Commons, a group that’s working to make Milwaukee a model water city.

“The two main goals of that initiative were that every child and adult in Milwaukee would have meaningful water experiences and to launch a comprehensive effort to change culture around swimming and improve access to swimming facilities,” Peroff said.

The committee gathered various Milwaukee organizations together to discuss how to accomplish these goals and received an earful about past efforts that had failed due to socio-cultural, financial, historical, political and even transportation barriers.

This map shows the “swimming pool desert” in north Milwaukee. If the Schulz Aquatic Center pool had been closed, only splash pads would have been available in this predominantly Black neighborhood. Children can’t learn how to swim on splash pads. Image credit: Deidre Peroff

Peroff said that myths about Black people and swimming, combined with a long history of segregation around swimming are hard to overcome.

Pool access for Black communities is a vital issue because, according to the USA Swimming Foundation (2017), 64% of African American children have no or low swimming ability. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this may be why Black children, without regard to age or income, are up to 5.5 times more likely to drown than white children.

David Thomas, board secretary for the Friends of Lincoln Park, said the timing was fortunate for their information needs in fighting the pool closure. “When all this hit the fan and they announced the pool closing, Deidre had already started this research. It was a very fortunate chain of events that the research was already going on.”

Thomas sent out an email to the Friends group with a call to action to save the pool, which included a link to the pool closure map.

Bledsoe, who is African American, said she learned how to swim at a previous pool in Lincoln Park. She said the Schulz Aquatic Center closure issue was an opportunity for her students to learn how to peacefully advocate for their community. It showed them that public officials “aren’t untouchable. You can talk to them, you can call them. Their information is available.”

She said their successful protest was about more than just saving the pool. It helped build the youths’ confidence and self-esteem. “There were lives changed as a result of that, and people fighting for something very meaningful.”

Bledsoe’s own parents were so proud of their daughter’s role in keeping the aquatic center open, they framed a copy of the “Milwaukee Journal Sentinel” newspaper story, displaying it in their living room.

David Thomas, Friends of Lincoln Park board member. Image credit: Friends of Lincoln Park

Peroff credits the Friends group’s strong community relationships for their success. They were able to call on people who were already invested in the park and cared about the aquatic center. “That was one reason they were able to move so quickly, and then also use the map and some other data to tell the story they needed.”

A spin-off project, undertaken in 2019, had Peroff looking at the impact of swimming programs on underserved communities in Milwaukee. She hired Emily Tolliver, a professional master’s student, to interview seven swimming organizations about how they address the issue of diversity and access to swimming resources in their programming.

She is still analyzing the data but said one thing is coming out clearly. “We found that the programs that were more successful in being diverse said the best thing was having African American or Black role models – teachers or lifeguards or staff – who are part of the swimming program.” She said these programs worked extra hard to recruit people of color to be part of their organizations.

Peroff said addressing these wickedly difficult issues is satisfying, but they are complex. “It’s not like one approach is going to fix any problem. We have to understand the barriers at a much deeper level.”

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/a-fight-to-keep-milwaukee-pool-open-uses-sea-grant-data-and-strong-partnerships/

New watershed education program uses mentoring and collaboration to share information with communities along Lake Michigan

On: April 14, 2020

In: Deidre Peroff, Great Lakes literacy messaging project, Jacob Fincher, Lakeshore Water Summit, Rebecca Abler, Rick Hein, stormwater messaging resource hub

As the state of Wisconsin’s population grows and water issues gain in complexity and number, demand for skilled water workers is expected to increase. According to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development’s 2016-2026 occupation projections, demand for hydrologists and environmental scientists with bachelor’s degrees will rise 6.5% and 12.6%, respectively.

A new Wisconsin Sea Grant-funded education project addresses this need by engaging undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay at Manitowoc in research and connecting the students to their communities. A professional master’s student from UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences will also complete development of a water resource hub used by regional water organizations to provide cohesive stormwater messaging along Lake Michigan’s Wisconsin coastline. Even high school students are included in the project.

Deidre Peroff

“One of the objectives is to retain students in water-related STEM pathways and careers,” said Deidre Peroff, Wisconsin Sea Grant social science outreach specialist. “We are focusing on watershed education and helping students strengthen their skills to make them more marketable – ideally, to have a career in water, whatever that may look like.”

Peroff is part of a project team that involves representatives from the Southeastern Wisconsin Watersheds Trust, Inc., (nicknamed Sweetwater, for short), UW-Green Bay at Manitowoc, and the Lakeshore Natural Resource Partnership. Although initially inspired separately, the team members recognized similarities in their goals and developed the project together.

Many moving parts make up the project. Two of them are an annual Lakeshore Water Summit and a stormwater messaging resource hub.

The Lakeshore Water Summit is held during fall each year at UW-Green Bay at Manitowoc. It offers college students the chance to practice research presentations. For this project, freshman and sophomore interns will collect weekly measurements on Lake Michigan tributary streams during the summers of 2020-2022. Data includes pH, temperature, flow, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and E. coli, among others. The interns operate with guidance from UWGB biology professors Rebecca Abler and Rick Hein.

Funding from this project will allow the inclusion of high school students in the Summit, as well. Mentored by the undergraduate interns and their teachers, the high school students will also learn how to present scientific information from their water quality studies. They’ll have the opportunity to create scientific posters for the Summit or give informal presentations.

Rebecca Abler. Image credit: University of Wisconsin-Green Bay

“This project is going to really enhance the real-world aspect of science for our students,” said Abler. “They won’t just be collecting data. They’ll be learning how to communicate to various audiences. They’re not just doing this for faculty members – they’re doing this for the community – which is our goal at the university. So it’s just really exciting.”

The graduate intern who will be mentoring the undergraduate students will also work on the stormwater messaging resource hub with advisement from Jacob Fincher, acting executive director of Sweetwater, and Peroff.

The hub is a web-based clearinghouse of information related to stormwater pollution prevention. Sweetwater has created a framework for the hub already, and plans to have the master’s intern work with the Lake Michigan Stakeholders Communication Committee to pick the most applicable stormwater education materials. Once those are all loaded into the website, Fincher said the intern will remind stormwater groups along the coast when certain messages should be publicized and how to do that.

Jacob Fincher. Image credit: Sweetwater

Fincher offered a fictional example of a billboard as an explanation of the concept. “If I were to drive from Kenosha and see a billboard about stormwater pollution prevention . . . and see the logo of a certain organization in the corner, then drive up past Milwaukee and see that same message but with a different logo, all the way up to Port Washington to Door County to Green Bay and Marinette, and continue to see that same message provided by different organizations – that takes coordination and facilitation. That’s where the intern will help us,” Fincher said.

The master’s intern will also work with Peroff to develop a science data communication toolkit, which will be used to mentor the undergraduate interns at UW-Green Bay at Manitowoc. The toolkit will help the students present their findings at the Summit in an understandable way.

Peroff summed up the complex project with this: “The faculty are going to be mentoring the undergraduates. The undergrads are going to mentor the high school students. The graduate students are mentoring the undergraduates. We’re (project staff) mentoring the graduate students. So, it’s this broad connection of mentorship, and then the key is having students share what they learned so communities can gain knowledge as well.”

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/new-watershed-education-program-uses-mentoring-and-collaboration-to-share-information-with-communities-along-lake-michigan/