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Natural Resource Agencies
We work with Regional, State, Federal, and Tribal agencies to help inform science-based management decisions.
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Schools and Education
We go to schools to help raise awareness of natural resource issues and to help recruit low-income and underrepresented minority students into Fisheries and Wildlife and other College of Agriculture and Natural Resource fields at MSU. Dr. Roth is Co-PI of the NSF-funded S-STEM group centered around Food, Energy, and the Environment.
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General public
We partner with angling groups to obtain stomachs for the Huron-Michigan Predator Diet study. We attend and engage with anglers at Charter Boat Association and Citizen's Fishery Advisory Committee meetings, Sea Grant workshops, fishing tournaments, and maintain a social media presence in support of the diet study.
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Collaborating with our partners to get the job done!!!
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Michigan DNR, GiLLS CISMA, BCK CISMA, & JLW CISMA (not pictured)
Outreach events
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Conservation Carnival, June 2025
Graduate student Aaron Sullivan, lead field technician Mackenzie Thompson, and undergraduate field technician Zach Mathews went to the Conservation Carnival at the Lansing Lugnuts game on June 1, 2025 to teach more kids about what fish eat. Mackenzie and Zach even got invited up to do a conservation trivia question on top of the dugout (which they got right, of course). GO NUTS! 
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Hesse-Earl Youth Fishing Program, May 2025
Graduate student Aaron Sullivan and lead field technician Mackenzie Thompson traveled to the Hesse-Earl Youth Fishing Program camp the first three Saturdays in May to teach kids about what fish eat! Kids were able to bring the fish they caught up to the booth and see gastric lavage, then look under the microscope to see everything their fish ate! They also played an interactive game placing prey items in the stomachs of our native fish.
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MSU Science Festival, April 2025
We had a wonderful time participating in the annual MSU Science Festival (https://sciencefestival.msu.edu/)!!
We hosted an aquatic invasive species bar trivia at Ellison Brewery in East Lansing on April 1, 2025. We also hosted a booth at the STEAM Expo Days April 5-6, 2025.
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Howell High School, October 2024
Graduate student Colin Assenmacher and lead field technician Mackenzie Thompson traveled to Howell High School and presented about Red Swamp Crayfish, invasive species, and how to conduct research. They presented to both the AP Environmental Science class, as well as a large group of interested students during their study hour. They discussed past studies on Red Swamp Crayfish, research and findings from our lab’s work, and outlined the process of developing Colin's thesis. In addition to the presentation, they were able to take students from the AP Environmental Science class outside to one of our research ponds. They placed crayfish traps the day prior and retrieved them, allowing students to hold live crayfish. The students were excited and many if not all the students held a crayfish. Overall it was a great experience and we hope to do something similar in the future! |
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Founder's Fishing Pier Fishing Camp, August 2024
Undergraduate field technicians Caden Pitsch, Vivian Gunn, Jon Dittenbir, and Evan Wahmhoff presented to a fishing camp about our red swamp crayfish project. Camp-goers were able to play a fun game to learn about burrowing behaviors of the red swamp crayfish, touch their carapaces, and see the equipment we use daily to trap and take biological samples. We try to do this each field season to expose kids to the world of invasive species and get them involved in science! 
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Heartwood Special Education School, May 2024
Lead data technician Sarah Walker and Lead field technician Mackenzie Thompson traveled to Heartwood Special Education School to present on invasive species and red swamp crayfish in Michigan's waterways. Students were able to interact with the presentation through song, coloring sheets, and word searches. |
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