Engaging Communities in Freshwater Science

Outreach is an essential part of UFI's mission to advance freshwater science and stewardship. We believe that learning is for all ages and actively engage with students, young adults, educators, lake associations, and community members through hands-on programs, presentations, and training.

Our team shares research at conferences, leads educational initiatives, and provides science-based guidance to those invested in protecting our water resources in New York State.

While grants often support our outreach efforts, donations help us expand our reach and provide more opportunities for meaningful engagement.

Our Outreach Initiatives

Lake Ontario, Oneida, Onondaga Program (LOOOP)

Beginning in 2021, the LOOOP initiative equipped educators with the knowledge, resources, and opportunities to facilitate student-led watershed investigations and stewardship. Funded by New York’s Great Lakes Basin Small Grants Program [2021], NOAA’s Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program [2022], Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists (YLACES) [2022], and private foundations, LOOOP provided five professional development workshops for educators, guest speaker opportunities, and expanded access to hands-on learning tools in Central New York.

While the formal initiative has concluded, UFI continues to support educators through the Equipment Loan Program and guest speaker engagements. Learn more about the LOOOP on its dedicated project site here.

Loan Program

Teachers or student groups within the Onondaga, Oneida, and greater Ontario watersheds can request to borrow supplies and equipment needed to conduct scientific, outdoor investigations. These free resources can be used to monitor streams, water quality, and weather using standard protocols accepted by scientists and environmental organizations.

In addition, UFI hosts additional educational resources including NY Sea Grant's Sturgeon Sack and NY's Great Lakes Ecosystem Education Exchange's Basin Bin. These resources bring the outdoors into the classroom! Learn more about UFI's loan program here.

Guest Speaking and Student Engagement

UFI staff enjoy sharing freshwater science! We have been invited to engage with students both in and outside of the classroom, including virtual guest presentations when needed. Our presentations have covered topics such as watersheds, invasive species, lake ecosystems, water quality of local streams, and microplastics.

We have partnered with middle and high schools across Central New York to bring freshwater science to classrooms and presented at educational events including the CNY Youth Climate Summit and the Technology Alliance of Central New York (TACNY)'s STEM Trekkers and Junior Cafe Scientifique programs. We also have participated in local schools' Career and Science Fairs.

If you are interested in having a guest speaker for these topics or would like UFI to engage with your students, please reach out to Monica to check availability.

Educator Professional Development

UFI has provided professional development workshops for educators, equipping them with freshwater science knowledge and hands-on activities to bring into their classrooms. These workshops have been made possible through grant funding and external support, allowing us to offer participants meaningful learning experiences at no cost. In the past, we have partnered with OCM BOCES and the New York State Master Teacher Program to offer continuing education credits for teachers attending our events. Additionally, educators have toured our facility to learn more about our research, laboratory, and jobs in the environmental science and STEM fields. We are always interested in future opportunities and collaborations!

Take a Peek Inside Our Laboratory!

Small groups of educators and high school students are welcome to schedule a visit between October and March to explore our facility, learn about water chemistry testing, and discover career pathways in environmental science. To ensure an engaging experience, tours must have 10 - 20 total participants and we have a limited number of tour slots per season. The 1-hour experiences will be scheduled during our normal operating hours.

For more information and availability, please contact Monica.

Student Job Experiences

Looking for local water quality data to use in the classroom? Check out this learning module or visit our Data page to view current Onondaga Lake and Lake Ontario data!

UFI's Lake Loading Learning Module

This lesson developed by UFI engages students with real data and a case study of Onondaga Lake. The students utilize phosphorus concentration and stream discharge to calculate external nutrient loading to Onondaga Lake. They will visualize how the nutrient loads of natural tributaries compare to the Syracuse Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant (pre-upgrades) and understand how infrastructure upgrades made at the Syracuse Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant greatly reduced the overall nutrient load to the lake.

This lesson was developed with funding from NOAA's B-WET program in collaboration with retired high school teacher, Carol Matthews.

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