Aquatic Ecology Workshop

Hold Your Breath, We’re Going Underwater!

Presented by: Lauren Roberts, Environmental Scientist–Site Investigation & Characterization, and Kristie Giannetto, International Environmental Regulatory Specialist, ENSR-AECOM

Workshop Description

Come explore the ecology of lakes, streams and rivers!  From microscopic plants to nutrients to macro-invertebrates (water bugs), discover what lives and functions in water ecosystems around you.  Grab your microscopes and hold your nose, we’re going underwater to find out why these little plants and creatures matter so much to the world around us?  What happens to the water quality and life within these systems when humans disturb them? And what can you do to help? 

Leaders’ Job Descriptions

Lauren: When I’m working outside of the office, I’m literally getting down and dirty with the Earth.  I help to test groundwater, river water, drinking water and soil at the Earth’s surface and as far down as 150 feet below the ground!  I’ve been able to see rocks, clay and soil that no one in the world has ever seen before.  Why?  Because I’m making sure that the Earth is clean from top to bottom.

At many homes and businesses, there are underground storage tanks that store oil, gasoline or many other types of chemicals.  These sometimes dangerous chemicals are not supposed to leak out of the tanks, but unfortunately do.  The chemicals leak into the soil and groundwater beneath us and threaten the quality of our drinking water and rivers and the health of animals, aquatic life and even you and I. 

It is my job to find out how bad the chemical leaks are, where underground the chemicals are moving toward and who or what could be endangered.  Then, most importantly, I help to cleanup the soil and groundwater so it is once again safe for everyone and everything.

Kristie:  Everyday I travel to a different country. How is that possible? Well, I am not physically in a different country, but I research, explore, and talk to locations outside of the United States everyday. From Sweden to Indonesia to New Zealand to Argentina, I help businesses understand what environmental and safety laws they need to follow when they work in these sometimes exotic places. Because I speak Spanish, I am constantly navigating through Latin America searching for ways that these countries protect their people, animals, land and resources. I compile all of the information that I find and the businesses use it to guide their companies all over the world.

Advice for Career Path

Lauren: When I was your age, I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I grew up, but I did know that my passions were for art and the environment.  I loved painting and drawing and enjoyed the adventures of camping, hiking, and running around the outdoors.  I knew that I would really enjoy my schoolwork and get good grades if I could incorporate these passions into my learning experience.  So I tried to take as many art classes as I could and balanced them out with the science courses and projects that interested me the most.  I also joined school clubs that further sparked my interests in these subjects. 

When it was time to graduate from high school and move on to college, I was still unsure if I wanted to pursue a career in art or science.  After taking some more classes in art and environmental science, my interests were being drawn more and more towards the environmental field where I was learning all about the world, oceans, plants and animals.  The great variety of classes that I took was probably the most important thing I did to help me decide that I wanted a career where I could help save the environment. 

If you too are unsure of what you want to do, like was when I was your age, I recommend trying out as many classes and clubs as you can that interest you.  Think about what you love to do and what things you want to learn more about.  Follow your dreams, for soon you’ll realize it’s won’t really be work if you love what you’re doing!

Kristie: My favorite classes in high school were AP Environmental Science and AP Biology. I was always a science girl. Spanish and my other courses always took a backseat because I never enjoyed that homework as much.

I realized in college though, that I love languages, I love to travel, and that the environment exists all over the world. I found a way to combine the things I am most interested in. At my job I am helping the environment and speaking Spanish everyday. I get to travel and assist businesses trying to keep the world clean.

Discover what you love to do, what you are passionate about. If it is science-related even better, because the field of science needs you! Remember though that science is not just your basic biology, physics and chemistry. Biology, physics, chemistry and even math are just the beginning to the world of Science. Those are the easiest places to start in high school, so see if there is anything that strikes your fancy. Explore the world you live in and make a difference in it through science.