Water Quality Project
The main aim is to encourage students to become involved with their local lake.
To engage our local community with outreach activities, about the importance of water quality for both the local environment, and for the people who enjoy visiting and using our lake. At the same time the students will learn many new skills which may serve them well in their future careers.
What will you experience as a Water Quality Project team member?
Geneva Lake Water Quality Monitor
The Geneva Lake Water Quality Monitor project allows students to engage in the entire environmental study process: designing prototypes, collecting field data, and then presenting the findings at local outreach events. It is an opportunity for students to work on the parts of the project that interest them them the most.
After completing one section, students are invited to focus their energies on another section of the project. This project is all about gaining as much hands-on environmental data science experience as possible.
Overall, the project encompasses many new skills, all of which are core to the Environmental and Data sciences.
No student is expected to have all — or even any — of the necessary skills at the start. This is a learning environment for everyone, students and mentors alike. It is OK to not know how anything works. It is OK to make mistakes. In fact, making mistakes is how we learn. What’s needed is the raw enthusiasm for learning something new. We want students to embrace every learning opportunity, and to have fun and enjoy being involved and engaged in learning the importance of water quality in Lake Geneva.
Examples of what these activities will entail:
TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING
- We strongly encourage girls to participate in this area too, because STEM is for everyone, just saying.
- We can’t collect data if we don’t have a buoy full of sensors.
- Prototype design and building using 3D modeling and 3D printers, testing individual sensors, calibrating sensors, solving remote power requirements with solar cells and battery packs, working with operating systems of small electronic devices (micro controllers), and working on Python software coding.
- No experience necessary
- Experience STEAM in a way that is creative, social, and relevant
- Explore future education and career options with experienced mentors
- Develop professional relationships with astronomers, engineers, and activists across the country
