“The Invasive Fish Species Monitoring program at Cornell is a school-oriented citizen science approach to environmental monitoring,” said Dr. Donna Cassidy-Hanley, staff member within Cornell’s science department who works directly with students from Bishop Loughlin M.H.S.’s Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics program, alongside the high school STEM teacher, William Schell.
“Mr. Schell has been part of the program for several years and has provided valuable information and feedback to us as we have developed the program.”
Freshman Abigail Branch and sophomores Simone John and Danny Tran spent a Saturday afternoon collecting environmental DNA, which will be used to help detect aquatic invasive species.
Such data helps Cornell scientists survey coastal regions for organisms that could threaten the water ecosystems throughout New York.
For more information on the program: Invasive Species Program