DANBURY, Connecticut — In a continuation of the series that began in 2019, the Western Connecticut State University Department of Biology, in collaboration with the Connecticut Federation of Lakes and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP), will host two virtual 2026 Regional Lake Communities Symposia: “Lake Cyanotoxin and Water Quality Monitoring Updates” at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 5, and “The Application of Diagnostic Tools to Monitor Lakes” at 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 2.
To register, visit westconn.tfaforms.net/217/
The two sessions will be hosted by WCSU Limnology Instructor Larry Marsicano, Brawley Consulting Group LLC, and WCSU Professor of Biology Dr. Theodora Pinou. There will be several opportunities for audience discussion and Q&A at each event.
The Oct. 5 discussion about “Lake Cyanotoxin and Water Quality Monitoring Updates” will include:
- Sofie Licht, Director of Ecology, Candlewood Lake Authority, will reflect on the changing Candlewood Lake ecology and explain how her training can improve lake survey and ecology management of the lake.
- James Fischer, Connecticut Federation of Lakes, will explain how the CFL connects, informs, and supports lake communities while empowering local associations to take an active role in protecting and managing their lakes.
- Saida Chacon, Manager, Cyanobacteria Testing Program, WCSU, will describe WestConn’s program and how a community-focused cyanobacteria monitoring program can protect lake communities.
- Rebekah White, Director of Water Quality for the Friends of Lake (FOTL), Lake Lillinonah, will talk about building a long-term team of volunteers and stakeholders to protect an important water source.
On Nov. 2, the topic will be “The Application of Diagnostic Tools to Monitor Lakes,” and speakers include:
- Ioannis Karydis, Director of the Institute of Mechanics of Natural Disasters, Ionian University in Greece, will illustrate international approaches to the phenomenon of global lake blooms.
- Jeffrey T. Miller, Research Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular, Cellular, & Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, will explain how eDNA monitoring works and where it fits alongside the more traditional surveys that lake associations already run.
- Tom Flannery, Lakes and Ponds Program Aquatic Ecologist, and Kara Sliwoski, DCR Lakes & Ponds Program Manager, both of the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, will continue the discussion of environmental DNA, demonstrating that sampling is sensitive to detection of species and life stages that may otherwise be challenging to identify.
The symposia are free, and the public is invited to join in via WebEx. Registration is required at westconn.tfaforms.net/217/. A custom link will be sent via email to pre-registrants on the day of the event.
Western Connecticut State University changes lives by providing all students with a high-quality education that fosters their growth as individuals, scholars, professionals, and leaders in a global society. Our vision: To be widely recognized as a premier public university with outstanding teachers and scholars who prepare students to contribute to the world in a meaningful way.