Dr. Rier and collaborators receive President's Strategic Planning Grant to establsh a monitoring station on Fishing Creek



Drs. Rier in collaboration with Drs. Venn (EGGS), Hallen (Chemistry), Wimmer (Business Education and Information & Technology Management), Beyer (EGGS), Whisner (EGGS) and the Columbia County Conservation District will be establishing a real-time monitoring station on Fishing Creek at or near Kocher Park, north of Bloomsburg. Funding for the station is provided by a $50,000 President’s Strategic Planning Grant. This station will measure stream depth, pH, temperature, conductivity (dissolved material in water), dissolved oxygen, turbidity (suspended material in water), dissolved organic matter, phosphorus concentration, the amount of light striking the surface of the water and meteorological data.  These data will be collected automatically every 15 minutes and then uploaded to a server via cell phone modem and made available on the web in real-time.

One of the main goals of this project will be to provide an education and research tool for environmental classes and student-centered research at Bloomsburg University.  It will provide a unique resource for training students outside the traditional classroom by having them directly use the latest technology available for monitoring water quality. Environmental monitoring is quickly becoming a science that is centered on networks of autonomous sensors and the “big” datasets that are generated by these sensors (see National Ecological Observatory website for an example, http://www.neoninc.org).  Therefore, experience working with “big data” from autonomous sensors will give our students an advantage in the job market and when applying to graduate schools.

Potential student projects include using oxygen data to understand patterns of photosynthesis, investigating the effects of storm runoff on the export of contaminants to the Susquehanna River and modeling the effects of climate change on the ability of streams in this region to sustain trout populations. One exciting aspect of this station is that it will be the first of their kind to combine all of the parameters necessary (oxygen, depth, temperature and light) to estimate, in real-time, the collective metabolic activity of all organisms in the immediate upstream reach and the factors that influence their metabolic rates (light, dissolved organic matter, phosphorus concentration and temperature).  There is considerable interest throughout the world in using “ecosystem metabolism” as a means of evaluating the health of streams and rivers.  With this station, our students will have the resources to perform some of the most comprehensive studies of stream ecosystem metabolism and how it relates to water quality that have ever been performed.

We also hope to increase the profile of the Bloomsburg University’s Environmental Science programs and provide a means by which Bloomsburg University can more effectively engage with the surrounding community, including high schools and watershed organizations, on water quality issues and the overall health of this region’s freshwater resources.

Popular posts from this blog

Internship Experience for Medical Imaging Majors

Image
BAHS medical imaging majors gained valuable experience with various imaging technologies  during internships at Geisinger Health System.   Intern Ashley Wilkins  reports: "I  have been able to see so much in the Radiology field. I have observed general diagnostic radiology, MRI, CAT scan, and ultrasound. I have seen x-rays of different body parts, especially of the chest. I have also seen numerous MRIs of the brain and spine and CAT scans of the chest and abdomen. Lastly, I have seen many pregnancy ultrasounds. My favorite part of the internship is being able to start learning early. I definitely recommend this internship to other students. It is a great way to become more familiar with the type of environment you will work in during your career. It is also  a jump start to your learning, because you get to see so much and you have the opportunity to ask questions. " Intern Xiang Liao states .  "I learned how to position patients, collimate ...
Read more

Penn State Primary Care Scholars Program

Image
The Penn State College of Medicine Primary Care Scholars’ Program is an exceptional opportunity for those who are interested in attending medical school and specializing in primary care. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s program will be held virtually and will kick off the week of  May 17, 2021  followed by a series of evening sessions over the weeks that follow.  The Primary Care Scholars’ Program will include discussions on topics such as medical care, primary care, medical school admissions, and the medical school’s curriculum.  Participants will have opportunities to interact with medical students and faculty, and to learn about the philosophy and practice of primary care within the disciplines of family medicine, internal medicine, and pediatrics. The format will include large group presentations, small discussion groups, panel discussions with medical students, individual application consults, and a sample problem based learning session....
Read more

Heather Detwiler studies abroad in Australia

Image
Heather Detwiler , a B.S. Health Sciences major in the pre-accelerated nursing major, received a BU Professional Experience Grant to study abroad in Australia during the summer through at program at the University of Canberra.  She conducted research on the prevalence of concussions in youth populations in conjunction with the Australia Institute of Sport. Her work focused on the treatment and prevention of concussions in youth soccer players, a field that has not received much attention. Concussions are associated with long-term neurocognitive impairment. Australia has a higher prevalence rate for concussions among youth soccer players, perhaps since heading the ball during games and practices is allowed.  Heather's study compared the differences between youth soccer concussion treatment and prevention methods between Australia and the United States. During her stay in Australia, Heather had the opportunity to travel, visiting Melbourne, The Great Ocean Road, Canberra, Sydney...
Read more