EducationScience on Seneca
Science on Seneca (SOS)
Science on Seneca (SOS), an EPA-award-winning environmental education program, is a middle and high school educational outreach program of the Geoscience Department and FLI at Hobart and William Smith. The goals of Science on Seneca are to provide students with an interesting experience in the collection, analysis and sharing of scientific data and to amass baseline data on Seneca Lake’s major features. The Science on Seneca field trip experience provides students with an opportunity to conduct field-based data collection using state-of-the art equipment.
About Science on Seneca
Science on Seneca enables regional science teachers to provide their students with an outdoor classroom experience on Seneca Lake using the R/V William Scandling, Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ 65-foot research vessel. Science on Seneca gives teachers the ability to demonstrate current methodologies that professional scientists use to monitor water quality to their students using the state of the art equipment on our unique floating classroom. The FLI staff are also constantly working with teachers to improve the experience of the SOS training and the applicability to the classroom through a number of hands on lessons, curricula, and resources.
How to Sign Up
Teachers must first complete a day-long training session to familiarize themselves with the Science on Seneca Program as well as the facilities and equipment. Hobart and William Smith Colleges is an approved Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) sponsor. Participating NYS teachers will receive 5.5 hours of CTLE credits upon completion of the Science on Seneca teacher training. There are usually two training sessions annually, typically on Saturdays in April and September. During the training, teachers take part in the full range of scientific tests and equipment available to them aboard the R/V William Scandling. After the training teachers are eligible to bring students on the R/V William Scandling for an exciting hands-on outdoor educational experience.
More Information
For more information or to register for Science on Seneca training, contact Science on Seneca Coordinator Barb Halfman at bhalfman@hws.edu or (315) 781-3606.