Events

As part of the mission of FLI, workshops will help to advance, coordinate, and disseminate scientific understanding about the Finger Lakes environment and provide interdisciplinary training for the next generation of environmental researchers, educators, and policy makers.

Ongoing Events

Calling All Cellular Phones!
TheFinger Lakes Institute encourages Finger Lakes residents to safely recycle their cellular phones and accessories. Recycling and properly disposing of electronic waste reduces the amount of persistent toxic chemicals that may compose landfill leachate, which has the potential of contaminating soil and drinking water via the leachate treatment process. Donate your cell phone to the Finger Lakes Institute and it will be recycled by Eco-Cell, a program that encourages organizations to collect all used cell phones and accessories, including batteries. Eco-Cell will pay the Finger Lakes Institute up to $12 for each working cell phone. Generated funds will directly benefit the FLI’s mission to promote environmental research and education of the Finger Lakes and surrounding environments. Acceptable drop off items include: cellular phones, batteries, accessories, PDAs, blackberries, pagers, and chargers.

Spring 2008

June

June 17, 6:30 pm, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva Room
Jim Balyszak, SLAP-5 and Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District : Presentation
Dr. John Halfman, HWS Geoscience Department : Presentation
Edith Davey, Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District : Presentation
Marion Balyszak, Finger Lakes Institute : Presentation
Seneca Lake Watershed Public Meeting
Is the water quality of Seneca Lake getting better or worse?
Who is looking out for the health of Seneca Lake?
What is being done to protect Seneca Lake?
Seneca Lake Area Partners in Five Counties (SLAP-5) has been actively involved in planning and implementing water quality projects in the Seneca Lake watershed for over ten years. You are invited to participate in a meeting that will introduce you to SLAP-5 and its efforts to protect Seneca Lake. Explanations of the health of Seneca Lake and its watershed will be provided by Dr. John Halfman who has researched Seneca Lake’s water quality for over 15 years. Participants will find out what the latest water quality monitoring information is revealing about the condition of the lake. Find out what is being done and who is involved in protecting the lake and watershed. Participants will have the opportunity to complete a survey to let us know what their concerns for Seneca Lake. This event is free and open to the public. Space is Limited. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email smeyer@hws.edu by June 12. This event is sponsored by Seneca Lake Area Partners in Five Counties and the Finger Lakes Institute.

June 19, 6:30 pm, Castel Grisch Winery
Jim Balyszak, SLAP-5 and Yates County Soil and Water Conservation District : Presentation
Dr. John Halfman, HWS Geoscience Department : Presentation
Edith Davey, Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District : Presentation
Marion Balyszak, Finger Lakes Institute : Presentation
Seneca Lake Watershed Public Meeting
Is the water quality of Seneca Lake getting better or worse?
Who is looking out for the health of Seneca Lake?
What is being done to protect Seneca Lake?
Seneca Lake Area Partners in Five Counties (SLAP-5) has been actively involved in planning and implementing water quality projects in the Seneca Lake watershed for over ten years. You are invited to participate in a meeting that will introduce you to SLAP-5 and its efforts to protect Seneca Lake. Explanations of the health of Seneca Lake and its watershed will be provided by Dr. John Halfman who has researched Seneca Lake’s water quality for over 15 years. Participants will find out what the latest water quality monitoring information is revealing about the condition of the lake. Find out what is being done and who is involved in protecting the lake and watershed. Participants will have the opportunity to complete a survey to let us know what their concerns for Seneca Lake. This event is free and open to the public. Space is Limited. Registration required by calling (315) 781-4382 or email smeyer@hws.edu by June 12. This event is sponsored by Seneca Lake Area Partners in Five Counties and the Finger Lakes Institute.

July

July 8-10, Finger Lakes Institute
Teacher Training: Finger Lakes Ecology Workshop
Hosted by the Finger Lakes Institute and Montezuma Audubon, this 2 - 1/2 day workshop is for environmental educators that want to incorporate information and facts about the Finger Lakes into their lessons. Participants will be engaged in several hands-on activities taken from a variety of curriculum including My Place in the Finger Lakes, Audubon Bird in your Backyard Citizen Science, and Project WET. There are a number of field trips including one on Seneca Lake, a canoe trip in the Montezuma Wetlands Complex, and a visit to a local vineyard. See attached brochure for more information. Cost: $200. Space is limited so sign up early by completing the application form. For questions, call Sheila Myers, FLI Education Outreach Coordinator, at (315) 781-4380 or email smyers@hws.edu.

July 13-26, 2008
Environmental Studies Summer Youth Institute (ESSYI)
The Environmental Studies Summer Youth Institute at Hobart and William Smith Colleges is a two-week, college-level interdisciplinary program for talented high-school students entering their junior and senior years. Located in the heart of New York's Finger Lakes region, on beautiful Seneca Lake, ESSYI provides exceptional opportunities to explore the scientific, social, and humanistic perspectives of environmental issues. The program is designed as an introduction to a variety of environmental issues and perspectives on nature and our environment. Students will conduct research with faculty members in a variety of locations: on the HWS William F. Scandling (a 65-foot vessel on Seneca Lake), in streams, quaking bogs, the Adirondack Mountains, and the Colleges science laboratories. Working in the field, in laboratories, in classrooms, and on a four-day camping trip, students will explore a range of topics in environmental policy, economics, and ethics, and come to see the natural world through the eyes of artists, historians, philosophers, and scientists. A love of nature, learning, and the outdoors provides the focus for this unique educational experience. Admission to ESSYI is on a rolling basis. Applications are reviewed on the 15th of every month, starting in December 2007. There are only a few spaces available, so apply ASAP. Visit http://academic.hws.edu/enviro/index.html to learn more.

August

August 4-8, Finger Lakes Institute
Explore the Finger Lakes! Summer Day-Camp
The Hobart and William Smith Colleges Kids College program Exploring the Finger Lakes, is a summer day-camp for youth ages 12-14 (grades 6-8 grade) running August 4th-August 8th. Students that have an interest in the environment and want to spend sometime exploring the Finger Lakes are encouraged to attend. Throughout the week campers will be exploring the region by taking a canoe trip, hiking to a Bog, and area waterfalls and examining the aquatic life in Seneca Lake. The Kids College is held from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm weekdays. Participants in the Exploring the Finger Lakes camps will follow the Kids College schedule. The cost for one week of camp is $250.00 per camper and includes all field trips and lunch. For more information and an application visit the Kids College website at or contact Sheila Myers at smyers@hws.edu or call (315) 781-4380.

Fall 2008

September

September 16, 7:00 pm, Finger Lakes Institute Classroom
Ecology of Fishes of the Finger Lakes
Robert Werner, author of Freshwater Fishes of the Northeastern United States: A Field Guide
During this presentation Bob Werner will discuss his ichthyologic research and provide instruction on Finger Lakes fish identification, life history, and distribution. Participants will gain an awareness of how changes in aquatic habitat can impact fish and their historic population dynamics.  Robert G. Werner has published two books, Fishery Science: The Unique Contribution of Early Life Stages and Freshwater Fishes of New York State: A Field Guide, the latter published by Syracuse University Press. He is a former faculty member of SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry College and the former director of the St. Lawrence River Biological Station. He was also co-director of the Great Lakes Research Consortium. Participants in this event can purchase Bob’s books online and have them signed at the event. This event free and open to the public. Registration requested. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu.

September 20, 10 a.m., Seneca Lake State Park (Pavilion #3), Geneva, NY
Seneca Lake State Park Beach Cleanup
Collect and record the litter found around Seneca Lake! In observance of the International Coastal Cleanup, the Finger Lakes Institute is holding a community coastal cleanup event in Geneva, NY. All registered participants will be provided with trash bags and data sheets to record the specific types and quantities of lake debris found. The data collected will be used to better identify sources of pollution and help find solutions for preventing it. Families welcome! Lunch provided. Please wear closed toed shoes and work gloves. Free and open to the public. Registration required. Call (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu. (Directions to Seneca Lake State Park.)

September 27, 9:00 am -3:00 pm,
Finger Lakes Institute
2nd Annual My Place In the Finger Lakes Conference
The My Place in the Finger Lakes Project has two goals: 1) to help teachers introduce environmental topics in multi-disciplinary subjects – not just science; and 2) to introduce student and teacher knowledge about the Finger Lakes environment and how human interactions can influence this environment. Curriculum from the project will give students the chance to learn more about the Finger Lakes region: the history, geography, geology, and ecology. One of the goals of the curriculum is to enhance opportunities provided to students with a context for learning science and keep them interested in the sciences as they progress through the higher grade levels. The My Place in the Finger Lakes Conference is for regional middle school teachers (Grades 5-8) to learn of multidisciplinary topics and curriculum ideas for teaching youth about the Finger Lakes environment. If you are a middle school teacher interested in developing curriculum for the My Place In the Finger Lakes Project or participating in the My Place In the Finger Lakes Conference, contact Sheila Myers, FLI Education Outreach Coordinator, at (315) 781-4380 or email smyers@hws.edu. Please see the registration form for more information.

October

October 18, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Geneva, NY
4th AnnualFinger Lakes Research Conference
The 4th Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference will highlight Finger Lakes scientific research and provide opportunities for students, faculty and other scientists to meet others interested in environmental science and scholarship. The goal of this annual conference is to highlight all aspects of Finger Lakes research, particularly as it applies to problems related to the Finger Lakes of western and central New York State. Both 15-minute oral presentation and poster displays are scheduled during the day-long conference. Presentations and posters are either: 1) results of ongoing or completed research, or 2) research plans and proposals. A $100 cash award honors the best student (undergraduate or graduate student) oral presentation. If you are interested in participating in the 4th Annual Finger Lakes Research Conference, contact Sarah Meyer at (315) 781-4382 or email fli@hws.edu This event is free and open to the public.
September 5: Abstracts due
September 19: Notification of Accepted Abstracts
September 26: Agenda Release
October 10: Registration Deadline