A Franklin Regional fifth grade science and math teacher will be part of a six-day scientific exploration of Lake Erie this week, conducting shipboard research on the health and water quality of the lake, from Cleveland to Erie.
“This opportunity to work alongside scientists on Lake Erie and work with them as they ask questions and investigate real ecological issues is the best way to make an impact on my students,” said Brienne May, who has taught at Franklin Regional since 2017.
The opportunity to be among a group of 12 educators and three scientists conducting the research from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s research vessel Lake Guardian the left Cleveland on Sunday, “truly puts teachers in a place to learn in the most authentic setting.” May said.
“I can’t wait to dive in and learn about these firsthand. Not only what the problems, are, but how we and my students can help,” May said.
May was among the 12 educators selected through a competitive process from 115 applicants to be part of the EPA’s Great Lakes National Program that does research on all five fresh water lakes, said Kelly Donaldson, a spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Sea Grant program, which is involved in the initiative.
“Her essay (to apply for the program) was phenomenal,” Donaldson said.
She will be aboard the largest research vessel plying the five Great Lakes for Presque Isle in Erie on Thursday, before returning to Cleveland on Saturday.
The research vessel makes annual trips to all five Great Lakes and reports on the status and trends in the lakes’ ecosystems, according to the EPA website. The Sea Grant program is conducted in collaboration with the Great Lakes National Program Office and the federal National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
May educational backgrounds fits well with the mission of the voyage. She has a master’s degree in education from San Diego University and a doctorate from Liberty University in Virginia, with her dissertation focused on science education. She has been involved in the Chesapeake Bay Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience Ambassador Program and has worked with her students in collecting and identifying macroinvertebrates and run pollution tolerance tests on a stream flowing through school district grounds.
Through pre-voyage programs, May said she already has learned about the formation and history of the Great Lakes, and the current issues impacting the lakes, such as the invasive species, microplastics and harmful algal blooms. The ship has three onboard laboratories from which the educators and scientists can conduct their research and experiments,
“They will be immersed in every level of research conducted (on the vessel) every day,” Donaldson said of May the two other Pennsylvanians — an interpretive naturalist from Erie and an environmental education specialist with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. They will be joined by educators from Ohio, New York, Indiana and Illinois.
May said she will be responsible for sharing her experience with her students and fellow science teachers. She wants to expand aquatic science education, Franklin Regional’s sustainability efforts and Great Lakes literacy for all the district’s students.
“If we want our students to think and act like scientists, teachers need to have these experiences to think and act like scientists first,” May said.
Joe Napsha is a TribLive reporter covering Irwin, North Huntingdon and the Norwin School District. He also writes about business issues. He grew up on Neville Island and has worked at the Trib since the early 1980s. He can be reached at jnapsha@triblive.com.
Read More
