Penn State - Penn State

Details: Estuaries are dynamic ecosystems located where rivers meet the sea and are therefore hotspots of global biogeochemical cycling. Researchers at Penn State University in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science study spatial and temporal trends in estuarine carbon and oxygen fluxes using publicly available data collected by National Estuarine Research Reserves around the United States. Participants of this free, in-person workshop will learn about processes affecting water column oxygen levels, where and how to download water quality data, and how these data can be used in a classroom setting. Former Research Experience for Teachers participant, Austin Gee, will be present to share his experience implementing this work with his students. With the support of Drs. Najjar and Arriola, Mr. Gee, and CSATS, teachers will leave the workshop with skills to retrieve and analyze real estuarine water quality data to facilitate an authentic learning experience about carbon and oxygen cycling in aquatic environments.

Target Audience:: Secondary biology, earth science, environmental science, computer science, and mathematics teachers.