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L.C.R.I. Research Activities

A Variety of Projects
L.C.R.I. staff and faculty affiliates conduct research in many areas including biological, physical, economic and educational topics of concern for the Lake Champlain/Adirondack region. L.C.R.I. researchers have generated over $5 Million in external research funds since 1999. 

Current L.C.R.I. projects involve science education programs for students and teachers, regional historical issues, watershed geology and environmental science, biological research (e.g., food web biochemical markers, protozoan genetics) and aquatic chemistry in the Lake Champlain basin.

Research highlights include an investigation of watershed dynamics funded by the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, studies of toxic substances (e.g., PCB's, arsenic,mercury) in lake water and sediments, as well as a mass balance study of phosphorus in the lake. Research is also underway on environmental hydrology, watershed ecology and geology, food web dynamics and lake-watershed interactions in the Lake Champlain basin.

Ongoing Projects
Many  projects ongoing among the 50 LCRI research affiliates (30 on campus and 20 off-campus researchers) include:

• Research on toxic blue-green algae in Lake Champlain by Dr. Greg Boyer (affiliate from SUNY- ESF)
• National Science Foundation funded research in geology by Dr. Mary Roden-Tice
• Other projects including LCRI student seed grants funded annually to support  student research

L.C.R.I. Student Research Areas

Since 1999 L.C.R.I. has supported over 120 Plattsburgh State undergraduate students involved in research in association with affiliate faculty. Some of those projects are highlighted below.

Lake Champlain Research
Students are actively involved in projects involving Lake ecology and other areas. Many students participate in the Lake Champlain Plankton study in cooperation with NYDEC and the Lake Champlain Basin Program. This project involves characterizing plankton communities in Lake Champlain at 14 study sites monitored by the Lake Champlain Monitoring Program.   

Trends in Lake Champlain Rotifer Richness from Carling et al. (2004)

Watershed Research
Plattsburgh State University students have a unique opportunity to participate in a recently funded project titled "Forever Wild: the Adirondack Park and Watershed Integrity" funded by the National Science Foundation.  This 3-yr project is a collaboration with Paul Smith's College and SUNY Cortland  in numerous Adirondack Upland watersheds and has over 30 paid student fellowships.

Watershed project team

Other Research Opportunities
Students can participate in numerous other research endeavours with L.C.R.I. affiliates including advanced research in Adirondack Geology, genetic mutations in paramecium, analytical chemistry, ecology, and environmental sciences. 

Providing Funding

Research highlights for the past year are many and widely varied for L.C.R.I.   L.C.R.I. Affiliates have been involved in numerous collaborative grant submissions totaling millions of dollars in submitted grant funds.  Over $5 million in funding has been granted for research involving projects supported by LCRI. 

Questions, Comments, Suggestions?

Dr. Timothy Mihuc, Coordinator
Phone: (518) 564-3039
Email: mihuctb@plattsburgh.edu