2024 January Newsletter
Faculty, Staff, and Student Activities
Amanda Buday and The Social Science Lab also prepared and mailed the final postcard reminder for the Pentwater Watershed Planning Survey (Friends of the Pentwater River Watershed), created a data file, and entered returned surveys.
Amanda Buday submitted a Letter of Intent to the NOAA funding program “Social, Cultural, and Economic Assessment of Harmful Algal Blooms.” AWRI co-authors include Sean Woznicki, Al Steinman, and Carl Ruetz.
Amanda Buday worked with sociology colleagues to finalize a manuscript about the Citizen Social Science training held at AWRI (2022-2023) for submission to Frontiers in Sociology.
Amanda Buday began data analysis for “Covid-19 Impacts on Study Abroad” research program, led by Anna Hammersmith (sociology) in collaboration with universities in Germany and Austria.
Amanda Buday met with representatives from the Gun Lake Tribe environmental department regarding the NOAA SEAHAB proposal.
Amanda Buday is teaching SOC 105 “Social Problems” and SOC/ENS 222 “Social Inquiry and West MI Water” this semester.
Amanda Buday is the Committee Chair, Faculty Facilities Planning Committee (FFPAC), FFPAC representative to the Academic Space Committee (ASC – executive committee for academic facilities planning).
Amanda Buday is serving as a committee member on the AWRI Executive Director search.
Christina Catanese and Amanda Syers are wrapping up the MEECS workshop project and completing the required reporting for the EGLE grant contract that supported these workshops.
Christina Catanese attended the Groundswell Professional Development Committee meeting in December.
Christina Catanese attended the 4th Annual Harmful Algal Bloom Symposium on January 4th to gain information that could be included in discussion of HABs in the outreach curriculum.
Christina Catanese attended the NAML monthly Education committee meeting on January 19, on “Getting Involved in Marine Education Networks.”
Christina Catanese attended a meeting at the Lakeshore Museum about the Howmet STEAM Bus grant on January 26.
Christina Catanese and Amanda Syers have been participating in the Outdoor Learning Store’s “4 seasons of Indigenous Learning” training program.
Sarah Hamsher is teaching BIO 120 “General Biology II” and BIO 376 “Genetics Laboratory” this winter.
Sarah Hamsher joined the Phycological Society of America Communications Committee in 2024, and they met on January 5.
Mark Luttenton is serving on the Anglers of the Au Sable Board which meets quarterly.
Mark Luttenton continues to participate in the ad hoc group developing management strategies for the Au Sable River.
Mark Luttenton attended the North Michigan Policy Conference in Traverse City on January 19.
Mark Luttenton is teaching BIO 560 “Advanced Community Ecology” and WAT 565 “Water Resource Policy and Science” this winter.
Mark Luttenton is completing plans to host the fall meeting of the Northeastern Association of Marine & Great Lakes Laboratories (NEAMGLL).
Mark Luttenton is the Graduate Program Director for the MS in Water Resource Policy.
Jim McNair is working on five research manuscripts (listed below) with collaborators from AWRI, GVSU Statistics, GVSU Mathematics, Ohio State University, Oakland University, Pennsylvania State University, Montana State University, Slippery Rock University, and Auburn University:
Ryan Otter attended the GVSU Computing – Data repositories and DOI generation meeting.
Ryan Otter attended the Research Computing – increases to campus cluster capabilities meeting.
Ryan Otter attended the MiNET – Wastewater surveillance and beaches monitoring meeting.
Charlyn Partridge submitted a project report to The Little River Band of Ottawa Indians regarding her sturgeon genetic work. The sturgeon tissues analyzed were collected from 2015-2022.
Charlyn Partridge attended a Data Repository discussion led by Eric Bellmore (GVSU IT) on Jan 17th.
Charlyn Partridge attended a MLSA Board of Directors meeting on January 18th.
Charlyn Partridge is teaching CMB 485/585, “Molecular Ecology” this winter.
Carl Ruetz, as Program Coordinator for the FAS major, received approval from the CLAS Curriculum Committee on the Aquatic Science minor. He met with the Faculty Salary & Budget Committee about the minor on January 26.
Carl Ruetz chaired a virtual meeting of the FAS Advisory Committee on January 22.
Matthew Silverhart (Carl Ruetz’s Graduate Assistant) submitted his thesis and has completed his MS degree (Fall 2023).
Amanda Syers attended the Project WET December state coordinator meeting.
Amanda Syers attended the Project WET January state coordinator meeting.
Amanda Syers attended the U.S. GLOBE (Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment) Partner Forum Meeting.
Amanda Syers was approved to be the GLOBE U.S. Partner Forum (USPF) Midwest Representative.
Amanda Syers is teaching ENS 183 “Sustainability as a Lifestyle” during winter.
Amanda Syers facilitated a virtual Project WET workshop on January 10.
Amanda Syers attended the Michigan Guidelines Trainers' Bureau, train- the- trainer session on the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Equity & Inclusion Community Engagement Module on January 30.
Al Steinman attended (virtually) the NOAA Ecosystem Sciences and Management Working Group in December.
Al Steinman met (virtually) with Carrie LaSeur, legal director, FLOW in December.
Al Steinman attended the West Michigan Symphony Governance Committee meeting on January 6.
Al Steinman met (virtually) with the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Independent Science Review of Everglades Restoration on January 10-11.
Al Steinman hosted the West Michigan Symphony Board Retreat at AWRI on January 4.
Al Steinman (virtually) attended University Development meetings.
Al Steinman (virtually) attended monthly Goodwill Board and committee meetings.
Al Steinman is an Invited Member of NOAA’s Science Advisory Board - Ecosystem Sciences and as part of the Management Working Group.
Al Steinman is serving as Editor for Frontiers in Environmental Sciences (Freshwater).
Al Steinman served as a Journal Reviewer for Environmental Research and Ecological Engineering.
Kevin Strychar is serving on the Muskegon County Conservation District Board.
Kevin Styrchar is serving on the University Academic Senate and the Executive Committee of the Senate.
Sean Woznicki is on the AWRI Executive Director search committee.
Sean Woznicki is teaching GPY100 “Physical and Environmental Geology” this winter.
Sean Woznicki is leading an Independent Study with Kate Lucas on GIS.