Guest blog post by Kellogg Biological Station (KBS) graduate students Liz Schultheis and Melissa Kjelvik The landscape of science education is undergoing a fundamental shift. Updated standards, to be followed by all science teachers in Michigan, emphasize that science is an active process: instead of the memorization of facts in textbooks, students should be taught the ability to generate new knowledge by testing hypotheses and interpreting data. In other words, students should be taught how to use the scientific method and make arguments from evidence. However, with the scientific
K-12 Partnership teachers travel to Alaska for research experience
In July and August of 2012, three K-12 Partnership teachers traveled to Toolik, Alaska to participate in a research experience as a part of the LTER Math Science Partnership. Marty Buehler from Hastings High School, Mary Grintals from Northeast Middle School, and Lisa Wininger from Plainwell Middle School all made the two-day trip up to Toolik to help collect data for the annual “Toolik Pluck.” The teachers spent long hours in the field and the lab collecting plant, soil, and microbial samples. The teachers flew from Grand Rapids, Michigan to Anchorage, Alaska, and finally to Deadhorse,
Self-guided walking tour opens for season
We are excited to announce that the KBS LTER self-guided Agriculture & Ecology Walking Tour is now open for the season! The walking tour offers a chance for the community to explore the research taking place at our main Long-term Ecological Research experiment site. Visitors can enjoy nature while learning how our scientists are researching ways to help make farming profitable while protecting and enhancing our state’s natural resources. A colorful trail guide leads visitors through 16 stations along the ¾-mile trail that takes about an hour to complete. The trail is open dawn to
Gi-normous global issues, one little person, and a community of collaboration
Our congratulations to Bonnie McGill, KBS LTER graduate student, who was recently awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Graduate Research Fellowship. We’ve asked Bonnie to write a blog post about her research. Enjoy! The earth and our society face such “gi-normous” problems like climate change, pollution, biodiversity loss, food security—what can a little person like me do about it? This question has been rolling around inside my head for the last 11 years or so, and it seems like my quest is starting to gain more traction. I’ve narrowed my research focus to water quality,
LTER Math Science Partnership in its final year
For the last five years, KBS K-12 Partnership teachers have been participating in a unique program that involves teachers, scientists, and educators at four LTER sites around the country. The goal is to promote environmental science literacy through the frame of learning progressions. In other words, the project has conducted research about how students make sense of important environmental issues and used that research to help teachers work more effectively with their students about these issues. This program – the LTER Math Science Partnership (MSP) – is a collaboration between four LTER
KBS LTER participates in Carbon, Energy and Climate Conference
Last fall, the KBS LTER had an exciting opportunity to collaborate with the North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, or NCR-SARE, program to address issues related to agriculture and global change. An extensive, 2 ½ day Carbon, Energy and Climate Conference was held on September 26-28, 2012 at the W.K. Kellogg Biological Station (KBS). NCR-SARE is organizing a two-year professional development and training initiative around carbon, climate and energy issues, and September’s conference launched the initiative. One-hundred and thirty-three speakers and participants
KBS GK-12 Fellowship Announcement for 2013-2014
The KBS GK-12 Bioenergy Sustainability Project is accepting applications for graduate student fellowships for 2013-14. This graduate training project is funded by grant from the NSF Division of Graduate Education. Fellowships are intended for students who have completed at least their first year of graduate coursework.
KBS LTER scientist wins photo contest
This September, hundreds of LTER scientists from around the world gathered in Estes Park, CO for the 2012 All Scientists Meeting (ASM). Over 750 LTER scientists, staff, and students were in attendance. ASM wasn’t all work and no play. In addition to the engaging plenary talks and working group sessions, participants took part in fun-filled activities, including trivia and photo contests. Dr. Sarah Placella, a research associate from the KBS LTER, was the overall winner of the ASM Photo Contest. With the help of KBS LTER graduate student Leah Harris, along with LTER colleagues from sites
New website on agriculture and ecology provides user-friendly access, resources
Hickory Corners, Mich. – Making agricultural ecology research information more accessible to its stakeholders and the interested public is the aim of the newly launched Michigan State University (MSU) Kellogg Biological Station Long-term Ecological Research (KBS LTER) program website. “We redesigned the site in order to better share our research, education and outreach efforts with a growing mix of stakeholders in Michigan and across the country,” said Julie Doll, KBS LTER Outreach and Education Coordinator. “The new site is designed to serve agricultural professionals, K-16 educators, and
New fact sheet – Climate Basics
The KBS LTER and Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) have published a new fact sheet, Climate Basics (Extension Bulletin E-3151), as part of a Climate Change and Agriculture fact sheet series. Julie Doll, KBS LTER Education and Outreach Coordinator, and Claire Layman, MSUE Public Policy Specialist, have worked together to engage producers, scientists and other decision-makers in discussions about the relationship between climate change and agriculture. As a result, a series of informational fact sheets have emerged as outreach components of projects funded by Project GREEEN,