Summer research and classes on Lake Erie

There is a fantastic summer research opportunity right in our backyard at Ohio State's Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island in Put-In-Bay, Lake Erie.  Ashland students have taken advantage of both research opportunities and field courses at the oldest freshwater biological field station in the United States.  Applications for summer research internships are due February 21st.  Application for field courses are not until March, but courses can fill up so apply early.  The application deadline for tuition scholarships is March 7th.  Courses this summer include Ecology, Evolution, Field Zoology, Ichthyology, Aquatic Ecosystems, and Current Topics in Environment and Engineering.  Many of these courses will transfer back as credit towards your Ashland major in Biology.

Two biology majors took the Stone Laboratory Field Zoology course this past summer.  Caitlin Duncan (pictured above to the left) wrote:

I had a fantastic experience at Stone Lab! I took a 5 week field zoology class. Every student had to keep a field journal and put together a collection of 100 specimens, which were gathered during various field trips to Green Island, North Bass Island, Middle Bass Island, South Bass Island, and Kelley's Island. Collecting, displaying, and identifying the organisms was the most fun part of the course for me! I even won the 2013 "Mad Collector" award for collecting 150 unique specimens! My class also learned how to electroshock, which was a great experience.

 Life Science Education/Biology major Emily Lundquist (pictured above to the right) wrote that:

Overall, it was one of the most amazing experiences I've had in my life because it was great to be out in nature every day and I met so many new people and enjoyed spending time on an island. I learned so much that I feel will help me later in life with teaching.

The images show a class group shot on the docks at Stone Laboratory and one of the field collections developed in the class.