The WISE -Chemung River ProjectElmira College, along with AAUW, will launch the WISE - Chemung River Project to encourage more young women to get involved in science. We will be selecting 2 fifth grade, 10 sixth-eight grade, and 3 high school young women, linking them with EC mentors. The students will conduct scientific research to assist in the evaluation and improvement of the quality of our local waterways. They will participate in hands-on experience collecting samples from area creeks and streams, of the Chemung River. Working collaboratively in research groups to learn the science of the environment and be applying their learning & skills to a practical problem. The girls gain confidence in skills important to their and our community's future.
Weekend overnight; class, sampling and wet-lab [ecology, chemistry and microbiology]. Water quality workshop; problem introduction; assignment of teams and roles, reasearch objectives; use and significance of sampling equipment, analysis and reporting techniques.
Sessions #'s 2-4 [summer] - July 14th, July 28th and Aug. 18th - Sat.
Project Description
The project is designed to use EC's educational and research resources to build connections between the participants, and create a sense of the need to understand and protect our waterways. Research efforts will reflect combined areas of stream ecology, chemistry, botany, and micro- and molecular biology. The students will identify macro- and micro-organisms, in particular Escherichia coli, which have been found in surrounding lakes. A central component is combining water quality testing with technological skills and computer design, then using these skills to effect change in their community. The research team will utilize EC's LI-CORE DNA sequencing system in the isolation and comparison of DNA fragments from the coliform bacteria to assist in their identification.
Project Time Line
Session #1 [spring] - June 22nd 3p.m. until June 23rd 2p.m.
The project is designed to use EC's educational and research resources to build connections between the participants, and create a sense of the need to understand and protect our waterways. Research efforts will reflect combined areas of stream ecology, chemistry, botany, and micro- and molecular biology. The students will identify macro- and micro-organisms, in particular Escherichia coli, which have been found in surrounding lakes. A central component is combining water quality testing with technological skills and computer design, then using these skills to effect change in their community. The research team will utilize EC's LI-CORE DNA sequencing system in the isolation and comparison of DNA fragments from the coliform bacteria to assist in their identification.
Project Time Line
Session #1 [spring] - June 22nd 3p.m. until June 23rd 2p.m.
Sessions #'s 2-4 [summer] - July 14th, July 28th and Aug. 18th - Sat.
Day trips for summer sampling, wet-lab [botany, ecology, chemistry, micro and molecular biology], info exchange, identification of problems areas, building skills to utilize information, and brain storming action strategies. Career and personal development workshops.
Session #5 [ fall] - Sept. 14th 3p.m. until Sept. 15th 2 p.m. Weekend overnight stay; class, final wet-lab components, sharing of water quality data and preparation of research for presentation. Participation in Symposium.
EC has begun to establish a website where the students will post team research summaries; publications of findings, and possible solutions. Fall symposium abstracts will be published.
