Center for Science and Environmental Outreach

Workshops and Professional Learning

The CSEO has the expertise and statewide reputation for quality in designing and conducting single-day teacher workshops and multi-day teacher institutes at Michigan Tech University and statewide on STEM topics, in partnership with MTU faculty.

Poster for teh Clear Skies, Clean Waters, Bright Futures teacher institute being held at Michigan Technological oniversity from July 29th through August 1st, 2024. The poster has blue background highlighted in yellow and includes a gray-scale image of smoke rising froma poine forest wildfire and a gray-scale image of sa plume of stamps sands flowing from the Keweenaw Peninsula into Big Traverse Bay on Lake Superior.

Clear Skies, Clean Waters, Bright Futures:

Empowering Educators for Environmental Stewardship

July 29 – Aug 01, 2024

Michigan Technological University, Houghton, MI

Deepen your understanding of air, water, and light pollution in the Great Lakes region and their impacts on the environment and human health.

  • Open to formal and non-formal educators
  • $200 reservation deposit required – fully refunded upon completion of the professional development
  • Limited to 10 participants (due to space available on the R/V Agassiz)

Included:

  • Transportation from Michigan Technological University to local sites used for the program
  • Up to 6 SCHECHs per day
  • Daily stipend for time and to assist with lodging expenses (see below for full description)

Registration:

Click on the link to complete the Clear Skies, Clean Waters, Bright Futures Registration form. (coming soon)

After completing the registration form, registrants will be sent a link to securely submit the $200 reservation deposit.

Once the participant limit (10) is reached a “Wait List” will be generated in case there are early cancellations.

Agenda (Specific details will be added as they become available):

July 29:

Morning Registration

Trip to Keweenaw Dark Sky Park to learn about the impacts of anthropogenic light, the creation of the Keweenaw Dark Sky Park, how they work to maintain lighting needs but protect the night sky from the impacts of artificial light at night, how to measure light levels in your own community and and methods of reducing the impacts of unnecessary light pollution.

July 30:

Explore the path of copper processing from extraction to processing and learn about the resulting chemical pollution of Torch Lake in Houghton County. (includes a group tour of the Quincy MIne and water sampling techniques aboard Michigan Tech’s Research Vessel, Agassiz.

July 31:

Learn more about the processing of copper and trace the impacts of “stamp sand” sedimentation on Buffalo Reef, an imprortant spawning ground for Lake Superior Lake Trout (includes an exploration of Buffalo Reef aboard Michigan Tech’s Research Vessel, Agassiz.

August 01:

Learn about air pollutants created by wildfire smoke and their impacts on human and environmental health. Participants will explore how a global network of regulatory air pollution monitors and low-cost personal air quality sensors can be accessed and used to help students local communities understand air pollution issues, learn how to interpret real-time air pollution data, compare local and global air pollution conditions, and use that information for making informed decisions about outdoor activities during periods of poor air quality.

Afternoon Departure

Lodging

Lodging is not included with this professional development program.

Stipend Details (coming soon)

Two stipends will be avaialable to participants

  • $ ___ per day for participation in the professional development
  • $ ___ per day to assist with lodging expenses

For more information please contact:

Tom Oliver, Director, MTU Center for Science and Environmental Outreach:

Phone:  906-487-2412   Email:  cseo@mtu.edu