HHMI Science Education
Scholars: The First Two Years
Dr. Kathy Winnett-Murray (Biology)
Dr. Joanne L. Stewart (Chemistry)
Kellia Poll (Elem Ed-Sci Comp)
Hope College
Main goals of the HHMI Science
Education Scholar program
 Future K-12 teachers will develop the skills
and knowledge to be successful science
educators through engaging in a
combination of science curriculum
development and research activities.
 Future K-12 teachers will deepen their
understanding of the interdisciplinary nature
of the sciences.
What the Sci Ed scholars DO.
Student research/curriculum
development projects
Joint “in-service-style” workshop
program
Partner Jennifer Soukhomme,
Zeeland H.S.
Joint outreach activities.
Black River School “Birds”
Program - 2005
Water Festival, ODC, 2006
Photos by Stephanie Allen
More outreach…
 2005 Girl Scout
Twilight Camp
 2005 CASA program
at ODC
 2006 Hope College
Science
Camps…Camps…and
more Camps!
Jointly, they attend and present at
professional meetings in science
education and science.
Wendy and mentors
Dr. Smith/Dr. Stewart
Nov. 2005 at GVSU’s Regional Science
Update Seminar
Melissa DeYoung
Hilary Cason
Jamin Dreyer
People are everything.
 Co-coordinators:
Kathy WinnettMurray wrestling a
bird and Don
Cronkite trying to
muzzle a lamprey!
Science Education Scholars 2005
Hilary Cason (Mathematics Education/Spanish) –
Competition for pollinators in an invasive plant
(Winnett-Murray).
Melissa DeYoung (Biology/Chemistry) – Neural
transporter systems; and pollinator competition in
an invasive plant (Chase, Winnett-Murray).
Jamin Dreyer (Biology) – Ectoparasites and
nesting birds. (Winnett-Murray)
Wendy Johnson (Chemistry) – Curriculum
development project on global climate change and
the carbon cycle – High School, Hope Intro.
Science Courses & GEMS (Stewart and T. Smith)
Ryan Zietlow (Elem. Ed – Science Comp/GES) –
Research and curriculum development
(implemented in GEMS 157) – impact of
geomorphological events on plant community
succession (Zimmerman, Hansen)
Science Education Scholars - 2006
Stephanie Allen (Physics Ed) – Astrophysics
Curriculum (HS) (Gonthier)
Christopher Bowen (Elem. Ed.-Science
Comp.) – Analysis of Science Camp
Objectives (Gugino)
Kerri Driesenga ( Elem. Ed. –Science Comp.)
Analysis of Science Camp Objectives
(Gugino)
Kellia Poll (Elem. Ed.-Science Comp.) –
Toxicity of Copper in Pond Sediment
(Peaslee, Winnett-Murray, Murray)
Billy Statema (Chemistry Ed.) – Macatawa
Watershed Research and Curriculum
(Peaslee)
Jeffrey Weber (Biology Ed.) – Population
Genetics of aquatic invertebrates –
research and curriculum development (Bio
280) (T. Bultman)
IN-reach! Our teacher-partners:
 Lynda Smith (Stephensville HS






(Portage, MI))
Melissa Jaeger (Lakeshore MS,
Grand Haven) *
Elizabeth Schanhals (Spring
Lake HS) *
Carl Van Faasen (Holland HS)*
Marguerite Stephens (Black
River)
Jamie Krupka (Outdoor
Discovery Center)
Travis Williams (Outdoor
Discovery Center)*
* Hope alums!
Travis Williams, Executive Director
Outdoor Discovery Center
Toxicity of Local Pond Sediment on
Aquatic Invertebrates
Kellia Poll
HHMI Science Education Scholars
Program, 2006
Hope College Biology Department
Holland, MI
Previous Work
 Drs. Greg Murray (Biology), Graham Peaslee
(Chemistry and Environmental Science) and research
students worked on local ponds (summer 2005)
 Discoveries
 New goal
– Explore impact
of Cu on inverts.
The Beginning
(Chelated Cu complexes and copper sulfates)
The Effects
 Algae gone due to Cu treatment
 Decreased Flora and Fauna
 Algae may come back
– Copper falls out of suspension
 Sediment-dwelling invertebrates may be
impacted
– More copper continues to be added when
sediment has already reached toxic levels.
Research Project 2006
 Hypotheses:
1. Copper, found in local urban pond
sediment, will have a negative effect on
the survival of H. azteca and C. tentans.
2. As the copper concentration increases in
the sediment, the more it will negatively
impact the test organisms.
Brief Organism
Background
 Hyalella azteca
–
–
–
–
Order: Amphipoda
Small, crustacean-like organism
Habitat: Clear, slow moving streams and small bodies of water
Common test organism
 Chironomus tentans
– Order: Diptera
– Midge larvae, “Blood worms”
– Habitat: Moist soils/sediments, streams and small bodies of
water
*Note: LC50 values for Hyalella ranged from 42-142 μg Cu/L and
Chironomus and Hyalella, together, 38.9 μg Cu/L. (Deaver, E. and Rodgers, J. H.
(1996); Burton, G. A., Norberg-King, T. J., et. al. (1996))
Sediment Cu concentration results…
Results of ICP tests on sediment
 9 ponds tested
 Found out the
sediment placed with
the invertebrates was
Cu concentrated.
Pond
~Cu concentration (ppm)
2006
Control – ODC3
3
Bay Meadows 6
400*
Waverly Shores Left
300
Blue Heron
200
Waverly Shores Right
30
Winter Oak
30
Pine Wood
20
Waverly Shores Corner
10
Tiffany Shores
?
(Dr. Peaslee’s research group, 2006)
*Reminder
Methods
 Set-up sediment toxicity experiment following
ERM’s set-up as reference.
(ERM, Environmental Resource Management. Holland, MI 49423)
 Ordered organisms
– Chironomus tentans – 160 individuals
– Hyalella azteca – 160 individuals
 Collected sediment
– (two ponds at a time)
 Added organisms to sediment jars
–
–
–
–
–
10 organisms in each jar
4 jars per organism species
8 jars per tank
4 invertebrate tanks
2 tanks per pond
Methods cont’
 10 d toxicity test
– Water cycles carry out 4x daily - automatically
 On d 10, counting/recording, cleaning and set-up for next
test
– Recording is based on # individuals found per 10 individuals
added to each jar on Day 0.
12
Percent survivorship/10 individuals
Results – to date
8
4
SPECIES
0
SPECIES
0
BH
Control
Pond
Ct
Ha
TS
BH:200; Control: 3; TS: ? ppm Cu
4
BM
WS
Pond
BM: 400; WS:300 ppm Cu
*Note: The control, ODC3, was
first implemented in the BH-TS
toxicity test – the controls were
contaminated and were thus
not included in this analysis.
Ct
Ha
12
Percent survivorship/10 individuals
Percent survivorship/10 individuals
12
8
8
4
SPECIES
0
PW
WO
Ct
Ha
Pond PW:20; WO: 30 ppm Cu
Results Cont.
12
Percent Survival/10 individuals
Percent survival/ 10 individuals
12
8
4
0
8
6
4
2
0
ol
ntr
Co
10
X
MI
n
Co
l
tro
SC
W
W
SR
Pond
ol
ntr
Co
IX
lM
tro
n
Co
Control Type
WSR:30; WSC: 10 ppm Cu
ControlMIX was a treatment where the jars were placed in with
a test pond sediment to determine contamination or not.
Clearly, there was initial contamination.
Organism/Sediment Survival
Stats
X2
Pond
Df
P value
Significant
/Not
WS vs. BM
0.23
1
≥ 0.05
Not
PW vs. WO
1.49
1
≥ 0.05
Not
TS vs. BH
38.04
1
< 0.001
Significant
WSC vs. WSR
63.42
1
<0.05
Significant]
Problems and Triumphs
 Automation
 System automated
 Searching for
 Organisms very
bodies
sensitive to Cu
 Other organisms
 Respond to Cu
found in sediments
levels actually in
ponds
Discussion
 This research is important because it:
– Educates
– Provides information to homeowners
• The effects of the copper added to “their” pond(s)
– Shows that Cu is impacting the environment in
unintended ways
– Demonstrates that invertebrate detritivore
populations are among the first to suffer
(bioaccumulation)
• Second to follow may be small, then large, fishes.
• 38.9 μg Cu/L (Ha & Ct) vs. 730 mg Cu/kg diet
(Lanno, R.P. et al. Maximum tolerable and toxicity levels of dietary copper in rainbow trout Salmo gairdneri
richardson). Aquaculture. V: 49:3-4. 257-268 (1985). Retrieved August 7, 2006,
http://www.csa.com/partners/viewrecord.php?requester=gs&collection=ENV&reci
d=1158591.)
Impact on teaching: Curriculum
development work
 I developed my research into a flexible inquiry-based lesson plan
that can be taught at different levels depending on the grade or
development level of the students.
 "The Pollution in Ponds” lesson plan covers aspects of several
Michigan Curriculum Framework Science Benchmarks: 9
Constructing and Reflecting on Scientific Knowledge
(Interdisciplinary); 9 Life Sciences; 2 Physical Sciences; and 3
Earth Sciences.
 I presented my lesson plan in a hands-
on workshop for science teachers at
the Regional Math and Science Center
at GVSU.
Teachers examine the effects of adding
copper-based compounds to control
algae growth.
INTERCHANGE February 2007
Impact on my professional
development
 I realized the extensive work and the many people required to
develop and follow through with an experiment.
 I expanded my knowledge in disciplines other than biology,
especially engineering and chemistry. I learned how the sciences
are not separate disciplines but interdisciplinary; they feed off
each other in multiple ways.
 I grew in my ability to think creatively on my feet.
 I learned that research can be transformed into an exceedingly
fun and learning-rich opportunity for kids.
Acknowledgements
 Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI)
– Science Education Scholars 2006
 NSF-REU research program
 Hope College
– Mentors: Drs. Kathy Winnett-Murray, Graham Peaslee
and K. Greg Murray
 ERM, Environmental Resource Management
 Mr. Bruce Rabe
 Dave Daugherty, Hope College Physics Shop
What have we learned?
Preparing for a career in science education:
“I received professional
“I had the chance to not only
advice from practicing
learn about developing
teachers and was able to see
curriculum, but also to try it
out instantly in a classroom.” diversity in their teaching
methods.”
Understanding the interdisciplinary nature of science:
“I would say that interdisciplinary was the key word this
summer. The interdisciplinary workshop….helped me
realize that science and knowledge are expanded when
disciplines cross and also that learning occurs when
links between subjects are made.”
The next steps
 Increase involvement of science
research students (non-ed) in
science education activities.
 Develop pathways for science
students to move into science
education.
 Develop a faculty position for a
science educator. This person will
hold joint appointments in
education and one of the science
departments and pursue scholarly
activity in science education.
 Other ideas?