DePaul Summer Courses on the Great Lakes Include On-The-Water Research for College and High School Students (UPDATED INFORMATION)

Jul 24, 2006

DePaul Summer Courses on the Great Lakes Include On-The-Water Research for College and High School Students (UPDATED INFORMATION)

WHO: DePaul students; Thomas J. Murphy, professor emeritus, environmental sciences; and Kelly Tzoumis, director of DePaul’s Public Policy Studies program.

WHAT: Will take a research vessel out on Lake Michigan to collect samples for DePaul’s unique Great Lakes summer courses on science and public policy. The interdisciplinary courses combine several fields of study: biology, environmental science, geography, public policy and political science to provide students with a comprehensive seven-week overview of the Great Lakes.

“Students need an interdisciplinary background to understand the Great Lakes,” said Tzoumis. “To train future policy makers and leaders, you need an ecosystem- management and sustainable-development approach to the Great Lakes.”

WHEN: July 26 and 28.

The Great Lakes Public Policy course will conduct two cruises July 26, from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

The Great Lakes Science course will conduct two cruises on July 28 from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. NOTE: This cruise was originally scheduled for July 25, but was postponed until July 28 due to forecasted high winds and waves on Lake Michigan.

WHERE: The boat, the “W. G. Jackson,” is docked at Navy Pier’s last slip.

MORE DETAILS:

In keeping with DePaul’s commitment to community-based study, Tzoumis has arranged for high school science teachers and students from the Little Village Greater Lawndale Social Justice High School to participate in a research vessel excursion on Lake Michigan. The group will take to the waters July 27 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Teens from summer programs at local museums and science centers have been invited to join a morning excursion from 10 a.m. until noon.

CONTACT: Media who want more information about the Great Lakes courses and the research excursions on Lake Michigan should contact Shawn Malayter, media relations specialist, at 312/362-6978 or Kelly Tzoumis, kellytzoumis@ameritech.net or 630/204-3567. As weather and lake conditions can affect scheduled departure times, it is recommended that reporters call one of the above contacts before going to the dock at Navy Pier.