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In: Amy Workman, bighead carp, DNA, Freshwater Collaborative, Freshwater@UW, Hope Dzik, invasive species, silver carp, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center, Wisconsin River

By Hope Dzik, Freshwater Collaborative summer research student

This summer, 35 undergraduate students from across the country conducted research with Freshwater@UW, the University of Wisconsin’s cross-site, cross-discipline research opportunities program. Freshwater@UW is supported by the Freshwater Collaborative, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Water@UW–Madison, the Water Resources Institute and the University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School. In the final weeks of the program, students reflected on what they learned. Here’s Hope Dzik, an undergraduate sophomore in environmental biology and plant biology from the Michigan State University, who worked with Amy Workman at UW–Madison.

Dzik holds a water sample from Wisconsin River at Upham Woods. Image credit: Amy Workman

I applied to the Freshwater@UW Program in hopes of getting a deeper understanding of aquatic invasive species research. I was extremely excited for the opportunity to experience the process of field work. I’d not been able to do that at my home university.

When I found out I was accepted, I was both anxious and excited to meet everyone else involved in the Freshwater@UW Program. My experience with meeting other cohort members, grad students, professors and many others involved was one of the best parts of my summer. I made so many professional connections and met future environmental scientists from around the country.

Our orientation events allowed us to become acquainted with Madison and each other — the best part was pulling out invasive plants together and sitting exhausted in the shade afterward. Madison is also an amazing place during summer. I loved biking around the city on my free bike (shoutout to the Red Bicycle Project) and swimming in the lake.

Everyone involved in this program took time to get to know us, and I felt extremely taken care of. All the professionals I met, and the sense of community this program brought, made the stressful or confusing aspects of my research worth every mosquito bite or failed experiment.

Dzik takes a water sample for invasive carp DNA testing. Image credit: Amy Workman

My project objective was to refine a protocol for collection and analysis of invasive carp eDNA. Bighead and silver carp can indirectly harm native fish populations and are threats to Wisconsin’s fresh water, so being able to detect a population of either species in a body of water can aid in monitoring the growth of their population. I worked with both Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center and the University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center. My method development was a frustrating but gratifying process. It involved finding the best way to collect river samples from the Upham Woods campus, developing the most efficient way to extract DNA, and refining techniques to analyze the DNA samples. The complete protocol will be used for teaching high school groups, which is one of the reasons I selected this project. I wanted to show that biological research isn’t intimidating and is open to all types of people.

This project was an amazing opportunity; it allowed me to learn important skills like science communication and self-advocacy. I discovered how much I enjoy field biology and ecology while applying course concepts. The water collection process was a great experience, and I loved being outside in the river. Grad school does not seem as intimidating anymore, either. I arrived at Madison this summer questioning my post-undergraduate plans, and now I have started to plan my future in biological research. It has allowed me to narrow my career goals, and I hope to continue field research in the future.

The post Invasive fish genetics project ignites passion for field work first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

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Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/invasive-fish-genetics-project-ignites-passion-for-field-work/

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In: e. coli, Environmental Research and Innovation Center, Freshwater@UW, Greg Kleinheinz, Jena Choi, microplastics on beaches, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Oshkosh

Jena Choi, Freshwater@UW student, collects water from beaches for E. coli analysis later at the UW-Oshkosh Environmental Research and Innovation Center. Image Credit: Megan Jensik

By ­­­Jena Choi, Freshwater Collaborative summer research student

This summer, 35 undergraduate students from across the country conducted research with Freshwater@UW, the University of Wisconsin’s cross-site, cross-discipline research opportunities program. Freshwater@UW is supported by the Freshwater Collaborative, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Water@UW–Madison, the Water Resources Institute and the University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School. In the final weeks of the program, students reflected on what they learned. We are sharing several of their stories over the coming months. Here’s Jena Choi, an undergraduate sophomore in freshwater science from UW–Milwaukee, who worked with Greg Kleinheinz at UW–Oshkosh.

I stumbled across Freshwater@UW a year ago, and I’m pleased that my persistence landed me in this program. As someone who finds comfort in familiarity, this program was the right step to coming out my comfort zone and exploring research in a new laboratory.

I had the privilege of working at ERIC (Environmental Research and Innovation Center) in the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where I conducted my research in evaluating methods for analyzing microplastics from beach sand samples. Microplastics is a hot topic in the environmental field, and we’ve come a long way in developing several methods for analyzing them. The problem lies more in which methods to use and how effective they are at extracting tiny microplastics that you can’t even see with the naked eye. 

Choi reads water temperature for weekly beach data reports. Image Credit: Megan Jensik

One key lesson I’ve learned about research is that it involves a lot of reevaluating, revising and importantly, retrying. Rather than picking up another person’s project, I had to start from the beginning. I navigated through the seas of different methods from other scientific journals while remodifying them several times to fit both my limited time and resources. Once I settled with a method proposed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the true battle was finding and ordering everything before I could start my project. The process required a lot of patience and persistence, especially when the methods didn’t show promising results. However, all these moments gave me great insight on what graduate level research would look like, as well as a key lesson in being independent.

A density separation setup in the lab to separate settled solids from floating solids (microplastics). Image Credit: Jena Choi

I also learned that being part of the Freshwater@UW program is more than research. It also branches into helping communities and learning different career opportunities. Not only does ERIC host research projects, but they also test samples for campus members and external clients. I was able to help people know if their drinking water is safe and alert them of any possible dangers. Another welcome surprise were my weekly beach routes where I collected beach water around Winnebago County to test for E. coli. If the beaches reached a concerning level, it was our duty to warn the public by putting up signs and informing the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources about the elevated levels of E. coli. Based on these experiences, I can see myself working in both a field and lab setting while working with the public through education and science communication. 

I’m grateful that Freshwater@UW has given me the opportunity to explore research in UW-Oshkosh. I’ve not only pursued my interest in microplastics, but I’ve learned the valuable skills of constructing my own project and independently solving any related conundrums or mistakes. With everything I’ve learned, I see my career heading to a professional track and hope to use the skills I’ve learned to improve Wisconsin’s water.

The post Summer research student learns independence and patience while studying microplastics first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

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Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/summer-research-student-learns-independence-and-patience-while-studying-microplastics/

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On:
In: Ellen Chadwick, Freshwater@UW, Joe Torres, Michael Holly, Oneida Nation, phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands, Tony Kuchma, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, wetlands

By Ellen Chadwick, Freshwater Collaborative summer research student

This summer, 35 undergraduate students from across the country conducted research with Freshwater@UW, the University of Wisconsin’s cross-site, cross-discipline research opportunities program. Freshwater@UW is supported by the Freshwater Collaborative, Wisconsin Sea Grant, Water@UW–Madison, the Water Resources Institute and the University of Wisconsin–Madison Graduate School. In the final weeks of the program, students reflected on what they learned. We’ll share several of their stories over the coming months. Here’s Ellen Chadwick, an undergraduate sophomore in biology and environmental studies from Kenyon College, Ohio, who worked with Michael Holly at UW–Green Bay.

Ellen Chadwick. Submitted photo.

My love and appreciation for wetlands has grown over the past few years, deepening significantly this summer. After learning about their amazing powers of capturing carbon, filtering nutrients and toxins out of water and buffering coastlines from storms, I learned to appreciate an ecosystem that I had never given much thought to before. Not to mention, they are teeming with life and provide habitat for many incredible animals. 

Because of all of this, I was eager to participate in my current research project about phosphorus removal in constructed wetlands. The overall project was highly applied and interdisciplinary, with chemists, biologists and engineers working together in a vibrant lab. And that’s only a small part of it. In the field, we worked with government researchers. Beyond that, this project involved farmers, city planners and really anyone with an interest in clean water. I studied five native wetland plants, testing if any are especially good at removing phosphorus and could be used in constructed wetlands.

As much as I enjoyed the research aspect of this summer, my favorite part was that this project is so applied. I always looked forward to days where I visited places with restored wetlands, whether that be the constructed wetland at our field site, a stormwater retention pond or a full restoration project site. I was always surprised by the richness of biodiversity in these “artificial” wetlands and how easily life will return to an area once the habitat is there.

The first time I visited a field site, I was shocked by the abundance of tiny tadpoles darting through the water. I was also unaware of the bustling community of macroinvertebrates living in the water, invisible to my own eyes but fascinating to watch under a microscope. All of these creatures represented a thriving aquatic community that played a crucial role in nutrient cycling and ecosystem balance. 

A spring peeper sits on Chadwick’s finger. Submitted photo.

Visiting the Oneida Nation prairie restoration site was definitely the highlight of my summer and affirmed my interest in environmental conservation and restoration. The land was just breathtaking, filled with incredible biodiversity. There were leopard frogs hopping around, toads waddling clumsily, and even baby spring peepers that would sit right on my finger! Dragonflies and damselflies darted around elegantly, catching glints of sunlight on their iridescent wings.

As we walked, the project manager, Tony Kuchma, told us about the immense effort to restore 3,000 acres of prairie from farmland, working tirelessly with native seed mixes and prescribed burns. Joe Torres, an enrolled member of the Oneida Nation, added how Indigenous values, such as reciprocity and responsibility, informed the restoration project alongside science. 

This summer experience has deepened my passion for environmental conservation and sustainability. It reaffirmed my belief in the power of scientific research to inform and guide sustainable practices, as well as the importance of considering many viewpoints when addressing sustainability. I have developed a greater appreciation for fieldwork and the resilience of natural systems and, of course, a deeper fondness for wetlands. 

The post Summer student research experience enhances appreciation for wetlands first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/summer-student-research-experience-enhances-appreciation-for-wetlands/

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