LOOOP Chats

LOOOP chats offer students an opportunity to learn about the local environment and water issues from UFI staff or regional professionals in our network. These guest speaker opportunities are scheduled on an individual basis as either a virtual or in-person presentation.

UFI has presented the following topics for local classrooms and after-school groups:

Watersheds
Invasive Species
Lake Ecosystems
Water Quality of Local Stream
Microplastics

If you are interested in having a guest speaker for these topics or are interested in different freshwater-related topics, please reach out to Monica to check availability and coordinate an outreach event!

We have also arranged guest speaker opportunities with professionals outside of UFI. Scroll further to learn more about these guest presenters who work within the Lake Ontario watershed.

StacyFurgal_LOOOPChat_2022.mp4

Stacy Furgal- NYSG Great Lakes Fisheries and Ecosystem Specialist

Stacy Furgal combines her love of science, fisheries, and communication in her role at New York Sea Grant. She graduated from SUNY-ESF with a degree in Fisheries and Aquatic Science then returned for her Masters of Science after gaining 5 years of experience on a Great Lakes research vessel. In this virtual LOOOP chat (recorded in November 2022), Stacy shares how she began her career and the interesting activities she has gotten to do as part of her job! ~28 minutes

This recording was edited for length. Thank you to Stacy and the APW Conservation Club!

JohnCannaday_LOOOP_Chat_051524.mp4

John Cannaday- NYSG Great Lakes Recreation and Tourism Specialist

In this virtual LOOOP chat (recorded in May 2024), John Cannaday shares information about the proposed Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary. He describes the National Marine Sanctuary system and how the proposed Lake Ontario site is significant to our region's history and culture. ~25 minutes

This recording was edited for length and volume. Video footage used in this presentation is owned by NOAA/National Marine Sanctuaries and can be viewed on their webpage. The Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary was officially designated on June 5, 2024.

Thank you to John and our webinar participants!

Links mentioned in this video include https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/lake-ontario/ & https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/vr/.

Dr. Florian Reyda and Hannah Whitcomb- SUNY Oneonta Researchers

Dr. Florian Reyda is a professor at SUNY Oneonta who specializes in parasitology. He and Hannah Whitcomb, an Oneonta Masters student, conducted research on the parasites found within freshwater fish in Oneida Lake and its tributaries as part of a funded project. With their funding, they were also able to share their research and show local students why parasites are important to study during a series of in-classroom presentations during the 2023-2024 school years. You can view an overview of their work at this link or Dr. Reyda's Lab Webpage.

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