This past July, I had the unique opportunity to escape the intense, oppressive heat of South Mississippi, only to find myself in the middle of a rare heat wave in Burlington, Vermont. Despite the irony of trading one heat for another, the experience was transformative. Thanks to the funding provided by the Sea Grant Education Network, I was able to participate in the Watershed Action Through Research (WATR) program aboard the R/V Marcelle Melosira on Lake Champlain.
The WATR program was designed with an innovative goal in mind: to partner teachers with researchers from various institutions across the Lake Champlain basin. As a participant in this inaugural cohort, I was immersed in a collaborative environment that fostered a deep connection between education and science.
Our journey began with a classroom session where we explored the wide range of ongoing research projects in the region. The key focus was on how these research findings could be integrated into our own science classrooms back home.
For several days, we transitioned from theory to hands-on learning aboard the research vessel, working closely with our research teams. We used the same tools and methodologies that scientists rely on to collect data on Lake Champlain.
The research projects we contributed to covered an impressive range of topics, from biology and ecology to environmental monitoring, conservation and restoration.
One of the most fascinating projects I was involved with studied vessel avoidance behaviors in fish species living in Lake Champlain. This study was possible due to the hybrid electric design of the R/V Marcelle Melosira. The experiment was designed to compare fish behavior when the vessel was running in diesel mode versus electric mode.
We would conduct a trawl in diesel mode, count the species encountered, and then switch to electric mode for another trawl to compare the results. The data collected provided critical insights into how human activity impacts fish behavior, with implications for conservation efforts not just in Lake Champlain but in other bodies of water as well.
What resonated with me the most from this experience was the parallel between the research happening on Lake Champlain and the work we do on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, particularly at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) and across the northern Gulf.
The Lake Champlain Sea Grant team has established a model of collaboration between researchers and educators that could easily be replicated in our own region. This approach not only fosters educational growth but also enhances the effectiveness of scientific outreach.
This experience has left me inspired and motivated to bring these research methodologies and collaborative strategies back to Mississippi. I see tremendous potential for our Sea Grant teachers to engage in similar hands-on, research-based learning opportunities in the Gulf, fostering a deeper connection between science, education and environmental stewardship.
In reflection, this exchange wasn’t just an escape from the heat—it was an immersion into a rich learning environment that bridges mountains and sea, educators and scientists, and most importantly, knowledge and action.
Meet the author
Samantha Capers
Project Manager, USM Marine Education Center
Samantha Capers is a member of our Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium Engagement and Education Team and serves as a project manager at The University of Southern Mississippi Marine Education... Read more
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