Outreach & Engagement
Recent Science Communication and Outreach by Lab Members
We are a busy but very engaged bunch!
We participated in Winter Grab, a binational multi-institutional grassroots initiative to sample ice and water of the Great Lakes in the winter. See Nolan’s Story Map.
We are part of RAEON and have partnered with Global Water Futures; Read about the Great Lakes Consortium of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. As part of RAEON Claire and Carolina were recently deploying bioassay experiments in the western basin of Lake Erie.
Miracle, Sandra and Sasindu talk about their experience in the Xenopoulos Lab.
Maggie co-chaired a working group on Winter Science for the International Joint Commission as part of her role on the Science Advisory Board. Read her summary that was transmitted to the US and Canadian governments and watch Maggie present the recommendations from the public Webinar hosted by the IJC.
Carolina wins Outstanding Student Presentation Award at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) conference.
Miracle and Sandra were invited by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography Committee for a series of online “Amplifying Voices” webinars to present their research.
Maggie received the William Kaula Award for unselfish service to the scientific community through extraordinary dedication to, and exceptional efforts on behalf of AGU’s publications program.
Sandra shares her aim of creating mentoring opportunities and making science relatable for future generations as she nears the completion of her Ph.D. program.
Sasindu is one of the very few female researchers working with autonomous underwater vehicles, known as gliders.
Maggie gets the Distinguised Research Award at Trent. This is the highest honor conferred by Trent University in recognition of a full career of internationally recognized intellectual contributions.
Sherryann, James, Jack and Vedanti deploy a buoy in Catchacoma Lake for long-term monitoring of the Kawartha Highland Lakes.
Maggie’s contributions and achievements highlighted by Trent’s President Dr. Cathy Bruce in Reflections on Grit, Invention, and Women’s Leadership on social media.
Sandra is selected as an early career member to participate in the Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies’ inaugural Scientists Promoting Policy, Access, Research, and Knowledge (SP²ARK) program.
Maggie speaks about Water System Justice at the Women Advancing River Research webinar series and sheds light on harmful algal blooms at the Muskoka Watershed Council.
Miracle talks about the influence of oxygen loss on lake productivity.
Read about Maggie’s efforts to accelerate equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility within science publications leading to her selection as AGU’s inaugural Volunteer of the Month.
Miracle received a travel award from AGU to present her undergraduate research on loss of oxygen in lakes.
We were part of NSERC FloodNet; Ceara’s paper on Flooding and Ecosystem Services is one of the most cited papers for the journal Biogeochemistry.
Claire was interviewed by Trent Radio on harmful algal blooms.
In The News
Selected Lab Research Featured in the News
2025: CBC Radio The House and CBC Radio Day 6: Radio interview with Bob Becken on the state of winter science in the Great Lakes.
2025: RADIO-CANADA (CBC Radio): Matins sans frontières. Radio interview with Charles Lévesque on the state of winter science in the Great Lakes. Rattrapage du mercredi 21 mai 2025 | OHdio | Radio-Canada (7:38 AM)
2025: CBC NEWS: As the Great Lakes warm, researchers say more winter science is crucial. As the Great Lakes warm, researchers say more winter science is crucial | CBC News (also MSN, The Weather Network)
2025: The Toledo Blade: Data gaps from Great Lakes winter science a moving target. Data gaps from Great Lakes winter science a moving target
2024: AGU TV: Interview on inclusive science publications. youtube.com/watch?v=cE6EFDFjLE8&feature=youtu.be
2024: CJMB-FM EXTRA 90.5/OLDIES 96.7/ PTBO TODAY: Radio Interview on winning the William Kaula Award https://www.ptbotoday.ca/2024/09/23/trent-professors-winning-of-american-award-a-canadian-first/.
2024: Catchacoma Cottagers Association: Researchers Deploy Sensor Buoy in Catchacoma Lake. https://catchacomalake.com/researchers-deploy-advanced-sensor-buoy-in-catchacoma-lake/
2024: PTBO TODAY: Trent professor’s winning of American award a Canadian first https://www.ptbotoday.ca/2024/09/23/trent-professors-winning-of-american-award-a-canadian-first/
2024: Arthur: Setting the new standard”: Advocacy Group Support Our Science Celebrates Wins in Federal Budget. https://www.trentarthur.ca/news/setting-the-new-standard-advocacy-group-support-our-science-celebrates-wins-in-federal-budget
2024: INNOVATION news network: Trent University’s leadership in freshwater research driven by expertise, facilities, collaboration. https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/trent-universitys-leadership-in-freshwater-research-driven-by-expertise-facilities-collaboration/53361/.
2023: CBC Radio Ontario Morning: Radio interview with Manjula Selvarajah on CBC Radio Ontario Morning on the low ice cover on the Great Lakes.
2023: GREAT LAKES NOW: Science Says What? What’s up with dissolved organic carbon (AKA why is my local stream murky?). https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2023/04/science-says-what-whats-up-with-dissolved-organic-carbon-aka-why-is-my-local-stream-murky/
2023: THE GLOBE AND MAIL: As ice cover dwindles on the Great Lakes, researchers scramble to understand the implications. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-great-lakes-ice-coverage-decline/
2023: GLOBAL NEWS: Trent University students join nationwide calls for more graduate, postdoctoral federal funding | Watch News Videos Online (globalnews.ca)
2023: PETERBOROUGH EXAMINER: Trent University students holding walkout Monday to demand more research funding (thepeterboroughexaminer.com)
2022: RADIO-CANADA: L’étude des Grands Lacs en hiver: Les détails avec Renaud Manuguerra “Les Années Lumière”: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/les-annees-lumiere/segments/reportage/391783/grands-lacs-science-hiver-froid-glace-etude-recherche-expedition-winter-grab
2022: CBC RADIO Ontario Morning: Radio interview with Jill Dempsey on CBC Radio Ontario Morning on Winter Grab. https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-112-ontario-morning-from-cbc-radio/clip/15895477-ontario-morning-february-16-2022-pt-2
2022: ROCHESTER BEACON: Answers in the ice; https://rochesterbeacon.com/2022/03/17/answers-in-the-ice/
2022: CJMB-FM EXTRA 90.5/OLDIES 96.7/ PTBO TODAY: Radio interview with Matt Latour on Winter Grab, “Trent University involved in first-time testing of Great Lakes ice”: https://www.ptbotoday.ca/2022/02/14/trent-university-involved-in-first-time-testing-of-great-lakes-ice/
2022: CANADIAN GEOGRAPHIC: The Winter Grab: “First-of-its-kind” Great Lakes winter sampling takes place; https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/winter-grab-first-its-kind-great-lakes-winter-sampling-takes-place
2022: THE CONVERSATION: Scientific certainty survival kit: How to push back against skeptics who exploit uncertainty for political gain by P. Frost, M. Xenopoulos, M. Epp and M. Hickson; https://theconversation.com/scientific-certainty-survival-kit-how-to-push-back-against-skeptics-who-exploit-uncertainty-for-political-gain-173578
2021: CBC RADIO Quirks and Quarks: Sandra Klemet N’Guessan answers a question from the audience on “how much of lake is made of fish pee”: https://www.cbc.ca/radio/quirks/sept-4-best-of-quirks-the-listener-question-show-1.6080839
2020: NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: “How beef eaters in cities are draining rivers in the American West” https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/burger-water-shortages-colorado-river-western-us
2017: SCIENCE NEWS: “Under blanket of ice, lakes teem with life” Under blanket of ice, lakes teem with life (snexplores.org)
2016: NEW SCIENTIST: “Global browning: Why the world’s fresh water is getting murkier” Global browning: Why the world’s fresh water is getting murkier | New Scientist