By Mary Lou Pardey, UCI Communications Assistant
The Monmouth University School of Science and Rumson kicked off the Two River Seminar Series with “Our Watershed as a Living Laboratory” on Sept. 26. Community members joined School of Science and Urban Coast Institute faculty and students for an interactive evening discussion of historic and emerging research questions centered on the Navesink and Shrewsbury rivers.
Dr. Jason Adolf, endowed professor of marine science, stressed that “hands-on science is absolutely crucial for emerging scientists,” such as the students from the university and local schools who are now researching the rivers. Throughout the evening, the panelists detailed some of Monmouth’s student and faculty efforts to study the intricacies of the area’s waterways.
Adolf and fellow speakers John Tiedemann, assistant dean of the School of Science, and Thomas Herrington, UCI associate director, noted that the university is a frequent research collaborator with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the federal government, NGOs and other organizations with an interest in the watershed’s health. During the question and answer session, residents shed light on potential new research topics for the upcoming summer. See additional photos from the evening.
The Two River Seminar Series resumes on Oct. 24 with “Rivers Alive: Wildlife Habitats of the Two River System,” featuring three speakers from the School of Science’s Marine and Environmental Biology and Policy Program. Scheduled speakers and topics include: Dr. Pedram Daneshgar, on wetlands and shallow water habitats; Dr. Keith Dunton, on fishery resources; and Dr. Sean Sterrett, on reptiles and amphibians.
The event will be held at Bingham Hall, located at 40 Bingham Ave. in Rumson. There is no cost to attend.
The Two River Seminar Series is part of a broader educational collaboration between Rumson and Monmouth. Plans are underway to develop a Monmouth Marine and Environmental Field Station on municipal property located behind Borough Hall on the Navesink River. With an array of classrooms, laboratories and meeting spaces, the field station will provide a waterfront location for educational programs and facilitate research opportunities for Monmouth University students, alongside K-12 students from the Rumson School District and surrounding communities.
For more information, contact Karl Vilacoba at kvilacob@monmouth.edu or (732) 571-3688.