WORKSHOPS

PRE-MEETING WORKSHOPS

Sunday May 17
All workshops are at the Hilton unless otherwise noted

THE LEAF PACK EXPERIMENT - TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS
Saturday, May 16, 9 am-4 pm
UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences
Stroud Water Research Center and the SFS Education and Diversity Committee are excited to provide the third consecutive Leaf Pack workshop for teachers and environmental educators at the SFS annual meeting. The Leaf Pack Experiment is a fun, hands-on research and outreach tool for non-scientists which demonstrates how our actions on land impact life and water quality in streams. Leaf Pack promotes inquiry-based interdisciplinary watershed education and engages diverse audiences in conducting their own experiments, gathering relevant ecological data, exploring food webs, learning classification skills, using technology to share data, comparing data with those of other communities and applying that information to protect local watersheds. During this workshop participants will receive an overview of stream ecology and watershed concepts based on research done at the Stroud Water Research Center. Taking our boots to the stream, we'll then experience hands-on examination of leaf packs with live aquatic macroinvertebrates, including their identification and a look at the Leaf Pack Network® web-site and database. Contact Tara Muenz (tmuenz@stroudcenter.org, 610.268.2153 ext. 301).

INTRODUCTION TO R
Sunday, May 17, 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Wisconsin Center - Room 102AB
The R computing environment has become a leading computational freeware for data analysis and display. This workshop is intended to introduce participants to the "R" computing environment. Participants will learn to import, export and transform data to run statistical tests and data summaries. Instructors will demonstrate several functions of R and associated packages increasing the understanding and use of the R environment. Students will be expected to bring their own computer, and will be provided with many additional resources for exploring and learning in the R environment. A basic understanding of statistics and statistical tests is required.
Limit: 20 participants
Cost: $115.00 SFS members; $75.00 SFS student members

IDENTIFICATION OF ODONATA NYMPHS
Sunday, May 17, 9:00 am-5:00 pm
Wisconsin Center - Room 102DE
The workshop will focus on identification of nymphs of Odonata of the Upper Midwest. Most attention will be given to our six families of Anisoptera but we will broad-brush our three families of Zygoptera as well. Each student will examine nymphs or exuviae of all nine families under magnification. The instructor, Bob DuBois, has authored over 3 dozen articles relating to the conservation management, ecology and taxonomy of Odonata. He currently curates the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources' Odonata collection and oversees the monitoring efforts of the Wisconsin Odonata Survey.
Limit: 20 participants
Cost: $130.00 SFS members; $75.00 SFS student members

SRC (STUDENT RESOURCES COMMITTEE) WORKSHOP/EXCURSION Sunday, May 17, 9:00am-3:00pm We're partnering with Milwaukee Riverkeeper, Milwaukee Kayak Company, and the Urban Ecology Center to provide a kayak paddling tour of the Milwaukee River and a workshop on human/environment interfaces explored from scientific and societal perspectives. Local experts will guide us through the river's unique combination of built and unbuilt environments, highlighting current issues such as fish passage, dam removal, and water quality. We'll put in just below the Estabrook Dam and paddle downstream to Riverside Park for a workshop and panel discussion at the Urban Ecology Center - a 20,000-sq.-ft. green building and community-based nature center. Here we'll eat lunch while we learn about successes, challenges, and opportunities for aquatic scientists working to make discoveries and find solutions where humans interact with the freshwater environment. After the workshop we'll get back on the water and continue down to finish at the Rock Bottom Brewery pier, just 3 blocks away from the conference venue. The event will last approximately 6 hrs (1 hr transport to the start, 2-3 hrs paddling, 2 hrs lunch/workshop). Kayaks, safety equipment, and safety training will be provided. Depending on seasonal water levels the location of this event may change.
Limit: 30 participants.
Cost: $80.00 for SFS members; $60.00 for student members