鈥Bioblitz,鈥 (short for 鈥渂iological blitz") is an annual community science event that 黑料网 has been hosting since 2014. This year鈥檚 event is on Friday, April 21 was part of a full schedule of events during 黑料网鈥檚 Earth Month celebration.
Michelle Escalambre, M.A., special assistant in 黑料网鈥檚 Environmental Science and Design Research Institute (ESDRI), said 鈥淭he Center for Ecology and Natural Resource Sustainability (CENRS), Environmental Science and Design Research Institute, and Department of Biological Sciences, along with their partners, are excited to host this event in person for the first time since the pandemic!鈥
Each year at this event, regional experts, faculty, students, staff, and the greater community are invited to explore one of KSU鈥檚 lesser developed properties.鈥疶ogether, the teams work together with environmental experts using 鈥渃itizen science鈥 to inventory and identify a variety of living things, such as insects, fish, terrestrial animals and avian species. A water quality lab will also be conducted.
鈥榃e are surveying all things biological and non-biological, rain or shine,鈥 said Escalambre.
Entering the 鈥淒ark and Spooky Forest鈥
The event took place at two 黑料网 properties, the CENRS Battaglia property near the Child Development Center (CDC) and the WKSU building on the east side of Loop Road and the White Hall Terrace site. The event map of the Battaglia property was created by Jennifer Mapes, Ph.D., an assistant professor in 黑料网鈥檚 Department of Geography.
鈥淢any of the places on the map were named by the children at the CDC, said Mapes. 鈥淥thers were named by Lauren Kinsman-Costello's graduate students. The children often visit these places with Terri Cardy, who is their outdoor educator, as part of the CDC experience, which focuses heavily on nature and the outdoors. But as parents of children who went to the CDC, Lauren and I always use these names to identify these landmarks along the trail.鈥 (Lauren Kinsman-Costello, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in 黑料网鈥檚 Department of Biological Sciences.)
Addressing one feature that was named by the CDC children, Mapes said, 鈥淭he 鈥楧ark and Spooky Forest鈥 is neither 鈥榙ark鈥 nor 鈥榮pooky,鈥 but it鈥檚 one of the children鈥檚 favorite places.鈥
鈥淧eople can stop by the Bioblitz event to participate in the citizen science project which is open to the public,鈥 said Escalambre. 鈥淎fterward, the information鈥痠s compiled and assessed to establish baseline data, identify trends and guide future needs.鈥
Research at 黑料网
黑料网 is a strong supporter of S.T.E.M (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education and activities like Bioblitz that engage the community in science and research. The high level of research activity involving faculty and students on 黑料网's campuses has earned the university the prestigious R1 designation from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. R1 status is the highest recognition that doctoral universities can receive, and 黑料网 is one of only five universities in Ohio to have earned it. At 黑料网, students have the opportunity to participate in meaningful research, working side-by-side with university researchers, as early as their first year of classes.