Student Achievements
Biology Graduate Student Awarded Research Grant
November 16, 2015
From the Michigan Chapter North American Lake Management Society:
In early 2015, the McNALMS Lake Research Grants Program (LRGP) launched to encourage University students’ efforts to work with lakes and lake communities to enhance lake management. An impressive seven proposals (representing four different universities) were submitted during the inaugural first round of funding, with two proposals selected to receive funding. GVSU graduate student Delilah Clement is among the recipients.
Delilah is currently a student in the Master of Science in Biology program. She is the recipient of a Presidential Research Grant for her project titled "Phosphorus Loss via Tile Drains in the Macatawa Watershed" and also received an Academic Conference Fund travel grant to present her findings at the 9th Biennial State of Lake Michigan/15th Annual Great Lakes Beach Association Joint Conference. Delilah is completing her research at the Robert B. Annis Water Resources Institute at GVSU.
Her research will look at phosphorus loss via tile drains in the Macatawa Watershed. She plans to collect tile drain effluent, record land and management factors, perform bioassays on algae using the effluent, and determine if soluble reactive phosphorus concentrations in relation to total phosphorus from drain tile has a significant effect on algal growth. Her research will lead to a better understanding of the relationship between tile drain phosphate and algal blooms in the Macatawa watershed and Lake Macatawa.
McNALMS President Bindu Bhakta wrote: "What makes this grant program even more impactful is that McNALMS funding was also matched by Michigan Lake and Stream Associations, allowing the possibility of more robust funding for the selected research projects. It is exciting to think about how these projects will increase the understanding of lake ecology, strengthen collaborative lake management, build partnerships and/or expand citizen involvement in protective management activities. The Board was beyond pleasantly surprised regarding the number of grant proposals submitted earlier this year!
Our organization can only benefit from such an infusion of new ideas and beneficial research to Michigan that students can bring. It is a win-win situation and I look forward to watching the Grant Program grow and having greater student involvement in McNALMS."
For more information on McNALMS, visit www.mcnalms.org.