We maintain a comprehensive program of research, education, and public engagement of science.
Graduate and Undergraduate Education
The KBS LTER program is part of Michigan State University’s W.K. Kellogg Biological Station. The Station is MSU’s largest off-campus educational facility, with 14 faculty in year-round residence. Both graduate students and undergraduates conduct LTER research on site, and many students participate in a variant of field courses offered at the station each summer. For further information about educational opportunities at KBS, visit the KBS website.
K-12 Partnership for Science Literacy
For 25 years, we have hosted a partnership among area science teachers and KBS scientists to enhance the content and delivery of the Michigan K-12 science curriculum. The program promotes improved science teaching by providing teachers in-depth exposure to current topics in ecology together with training in outdoor learning and inquiry-based science methods. More information available here!
Research Experiences for Teachers (RET)
RETs are in-depth, authentic research experiences available to classroom K-12 teachers. These experiences often pair a teacher with a researcher to assist with an ongoing project or complete an independent, co-developed research project. The KBS LTER has a strong history of successful RET projects and we strive to acquire funding each year to offer these opportunities. For current opportunities, visit the KBS website here.
Data Nuggets: exercises in evidence-based claims & graphing
Data Nuggets are free activities that give K-12 and undergraduate students practice interpreting quantitative information and making claims based on evidence. Each activity contains real data from cutting-edge research, and features the true stories of KBS LTER and other scientists. To access Data Nuggets click here, and for a list of activities using LTER data click here.
Artists in Residence
Our Farmscapes to Forests: Artist-in-Residence Program brings artists to KBS each spring and summer to engage with the people and habitats at our station. These art-science collaborations bring new perspectives to both our research and to the work of our visitors. Our goal is to provide opportunities for a bi-directional exchange and artistic expression that can become part of the communal story of the station. More on our program and artists here!
Ag Professionals
We actively seek opportunities to educate and dialogue with professional stakeholder groups including farmers, agricultural professionals, natural resource managers, and educators about the ecology of agricultural landscapes. Throughout the year we offer workshops, tours, and educational materials. Learn more about our work with Ag Professionals.
MiSTRIPS
The KBS LTER is collaborating with Iowa State University to increase the adoption of prairie strips on agricultural landscapes across the Midwest. Through the development of the MiSTRIPS program, the KBS team will work alongside seven other contributing states to form a regional partnership that delivers programming and networking opportunities to increase the scale and adoption of prairie strips conservation practices on farms. To learn more, visit the page here.
Field trips and Tours
We welcome visitors to our research site! There are various ways for you to tour our research, including guided and self-guided tours and field trips for K12 classrooms. More information available on our page here!
Media and the Public
The LTER program places a high value on explaining our research to the media and the community at large through social media, informational fact sheets, our annual open house, and the newly installed self-guided walking trail through our research plots. Learn more about our work with the Media and Public.