WSST Conference 2025: Full Schedule

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8:00am CDT

Integrating Soil and Water Science using Cation Exchange Capacity

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

Soil and water are inextricably linked. Negative soil charges, known as cation exchange capacity (CEC), are essential for soil nutrient and contaminant retention, water filtration, and surface and groundwater quality. In this session, we will discuss the basics of how soils get their charge, the impact of CEC on soil and surface water chemistry, and the practical application of CEC to food production and waste management systems. Through easy and visual experiments using ionic dyes and water quality test strips, you will evaluate the CEC of diverse soils and explore the impacts of varying soil CECs on nutrient retention and loss. At the end of the session, you will be able to describe the source of charge in soils, the impact of diverse land management practices on soil CEC, as well as the connection between soil CEC and potential surface and groundwater quality.

Speakers

Tim Miland

Area Resource Soil Scientist, USDA-NRCS

I've been a soil scientist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for 32 years. I started my career mapping soils and collected soil data in northern and western Wisconsin. I now help soil survey users interpret soils and their properties. I also enjoy hydric soils... Read More →

Jamie Patton

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
Thistle

Chemistry Environmental

8:00am CDT

Freshwater Science and Connections to Higher Ed

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT

John Lynch

The School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee is the first academic institution in the nation solely dedicated to the study and advancement of freshwater sciences.
This session provides a brief overview of current freshwater research initiatives and opportunities to engage with the School’s outreach efforts, which connect teachers and students with educational experiences. The session will also feature collaborative discussions to encourage your input. How can universities best support your work bringing freshwater science to students? What can we do to empower you to provide students with real-world applications which enhance engagement and learning outcomes.
Learning objectives for this session include:
1. Enhancing participants’ understanding of the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences.
2. Building connections between participants and the School’s outreach efforts to create ongoing opportunities for collaboration, internships, and student engagement.
3. Identifying opportunities for university support, with a focus on accessing resources, fostering collaborative partnerships, and integrating real-world applications of freshwater science into student learning experiences.
This session will serve as a platform to share ideas and suggestions for new activities and resources to strengthen community-university connections.

Speakers

Liz Sutton

Saturday April 5, 2025 8:00am - 8:50am CDT
John Lynch

General Environmental

9:00am CDT

Connecting Students to Their Local Waterways - The Milwaukee Waters Investigation Project A model using collaboration and real-world activities to meet state educational standards

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Dixie

Wisconsin residents have extensive, high quality water systems and a broad range of individuals and organizations working to understand, protect and enhance them. The Milwaukee Waters Investigation Project (MWI) is a multidisciplinary STEM project focusing on a semester of teacher support, four professional development meetings, and ending with a one day field investigation with over 325 students supported by partners from more than 15 organizations. There is no cost to teachers to participate. The Freshwater Tool Kit.org website, project activities, water systems review, and water quality and water habitat monitoring and the opportunity to reveal and inspire potential career pathways in the water sector connect this project to the NGSS standards.
This presentation includes an overview of the MWI Project, and the experience of a teacher involved in the project. There will also be an exercise for conference attendees to share what they are doing with their students in this space, to identify partners they do or might want to work with, and explore opportunities for collaboration within their community or with peers in other parts of the state to develop real-world projects centered on this vital resource.

Speakers

Joost Allard

Kae DonLevy

Lalitha Murali

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Dixie

Biology/Life Science Chemistry Earth Science Environmental Water Systems

9:00am CDT

Connecting the Classroom to Diverse Careers in Natural Resource Conservation

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

Thistle

Many students aren’t aware of the breadth of jobs in natural resource conservation. From scientists to artists and GIS specialists to bloggers, conservation agencies and organizations are seeking passionate individuals with a wide variety of skills to help address growing soil, water, air, and wildlife challenges. In this session, we will introduce various educational resources, case study materials, and practical classroom demonstrations to integrate into your current curriculums to highlight potential natural resource career paths. At the end of the session, you will be able to identify diverse examples of natural resource conservation professionals and describe their general qualifications and job duties, as well as discuss how the knowledge and skills learned in your courses are applicable to a career in conservation.

Speakers

Jamie Patton

Ricardo Costa

Associate Director Ag Strategies, The Nature Conservancy

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
Thistle

Earth Science Environmental

9:00am CDT

School Air Quality Project: Teaching Air Pollution Through Surveying Your School Building

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT

John Lynch

Performing environmental surveys on your school building and campus is a way to make science content relevant to students and to discover and address environmental problems at your school. This presentation reviews a case study where students learned about air pollution through school air quality surveys. Four different surveys will be covered: an indoor carbon dioxide survey, an indoor particulate survey, an outdoor PM 2.5 survey, and an outdoor lichen survey. You will come away with knowing what supplies you need for each survey, how to evaluate the data, recommendations for scaffolding skills and content, and possible summative options, including a presentation to administration on environmental problems students discovered.

Standards:
HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Science & Engineering Practices: Planning and Carrying Out Investigations, Analyzing and Interpreting Data, Constructing Explanations and Designing Solution

Speakers

Ted Snyder

Saturday April 5, 2025 9:00am - 9:50am CDT
John Lynch

Environmental Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies

10:00am CDT

Life Beyond the Big 3: Unique electives to spark curiosity!

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT

John Lynch

Think outside the box! As we continue to face decreasing levels of student engagement, can we design new course offerings to captivate students in a variety of ways?

Science electives offer high school students a unique opportunity to explore their passions and delve deeper into specific scientific fields. Beyond meeting graduation requirements, these courses provide invaluable benefits, such as gaining in-depth understanding of a specialized science area, developing practical skills through laboratory work, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving abilities, exploring potential career paths, and simply satisfying a natural curiosity about the world!

Attendees will hear about the development process for three unique electives including: Cultivating student interest, encouraging exploration and interest-based course selection, and providing opportunities for students to contribute to curriculum development.

Presenters will share reflections on the preliminary offerings, including successes, challenges, and the need for cultural shift in order to maximize the benefit of these courses.

Speakers

Sedate Kohler

Katie Kammerdiener

Katie Huber

Saturday April 5, 2025 10:00am - 10:50am CDT
John Lynch

Biology/Life Science Chemistry Earth Science Environmental Pedagogy/Teaching Strategies Diversity/Equity

11:00am CDT

Engage students while learning outdoors using transects

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT

Anna M

I will present for 30 minutes on how I use transects to get kids outside collecting data along a stream corridor. I have found transects are engaging for students without the expectation that they are an expert on identifying plant or animal species. Transects are often the building blocks for our field observations within an outdoor freshwater ecology course I teach and useful to build skills required for the rest of the semester. I will share several different transects that I have found to be effective for mapping, analyzing and collecting field data all within a 45 minute class period (so quick turn around). I will talk about common barriers and future connections with transects as well. The last 15 minutes will be open discussion or time for any questions you may have for me.

HS LS2- 2 Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on
evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of
different scales.HS LS2-7 Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Speakers

Angela Schmit

Saturday April 5, 2025 11:00am - 11:50am CDT
Anna M

General Biology/Life Science Earth Science Environmental