Nine months ago, the Hygienic Laboratory and the UI Division of Continuing Education announced a partnership to expand the use of the Iowa Lakeside Laboratory Regent Resource Center in northwest Iowa for water quality analysis and monitoring. On August 1, UI President Sally Mason officially opened a newly renovated water analysis laboratory that offers an expanded menu of tests.

Q. It has been about six months since you began your new job. What has been the biggest surprise to you?

A. I would say the excitement that people have about there being a full-time chemist at Lakeside and the public's involvement with promoting good water quality and land stewardship.

Q. What are the environmental challenges that the region faces that other parts of the state may not?

A. Dickinson County has more public land and water resources than probably any other county in the state. It is also a rural county with good farm ground. One million people visit the county each year, spending about $130 million. Most of the people are visiting because of the recreational opportunities on the lakes. Farmers, towns and conservationists in the area all need to work together to lower the impact of farming and urban development on water quality within the lakes area.

Q. How would you describe the involvement of the community in the work you do, and how does this effect the way you conduct your work?

A. People in this area are very concerned about water quality for obvious reasons; they are surrounded by lakes and wetlands. Lakeside Lab has been around for 100 years educating students and the public about nature and conservation. The community knows and understands that Lakeside Lab promotes water quality and conservation with scientific study. Peter van der Linden (executive director) and Jane Shuttleworth (education coordinator) have played vital roles in outreach to the community and getting them involved.

The Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Project (CLAMP) was started in 1999. This is the oldest volunteer water monitoring group in the state. Many of the lakes have their own associations that work on improving water quality. They often come to Lakeside for help to start these groups and ask for input.

The "Friends of Lakeside Lab" is another group that started about 15 years ago. This group helps raise money for student scholarships to Lakeside, CLAMP monitoring, local lake associations, support for the running of Lakeside, and much more.

People are really happy to see the water chemistry lab at Lakeside being used again. Many people donated money to build the lab I am working in and want it used to determine the water quality of the area lakes. This commitment by so many people makes it easy for me to work hard at making the lab a success.

Q. What is the Lakeside Coffee and Grounds committee?

A. Matt Fairchild (grounds manager) and Peter are the leaders of this group. Their vision is to restore, as much as possible, the 140 acres of Lakeside Lab grounds to what it originally was like, prairie and oak savanna. Typically, there are three to four volunteers from the area that each week help with clean-up, prairie burns, planting native forbs and grasses, and pulling nonnative plants.

Q. What is your favorite part of working at Lakeside and what is the most challenging?

A. Switching from an outdoor-oriented position in the Limnology section to an indoor position as a water chemist has been the biggest challenge. I am also the only one in the lab, which is a change from having 10 limnologists in one room. I have been learning in a hurry the analytical tests used for determining nutrients, bacteria, solids and others along with all the quality control checks that are involved. But one of the best parts is that when I get frustrated and stressed working in the lab, I just have to look out the window or walk outside and I'm in nature with a lake, trees and prairie.

Q. What would you like your colleagues to know about the area and your work?

A. When people think about northwest Iowa, they probably think of cold winters and wind. This is true, but if you like the outdoors and nature, there are so many areas to explore and visit. It is far more beautiful than some might think. Every time I come to work, I feel like I am driving into a state park.

Community outreach is a big part of this job. Everyone wants to know what the water quality of the Lakes is like or if fishing is good. Also, because Lakeside has been around for so long, you need to start learning the history of the place and the Lakes region. Many people stop by and ask about the Lakeside campus and the area.