By Lynnae Marty Hentzen
This week’s guest is Mary Skopec, Executive Director of Iowa Lakeside Laboratory up at Miller’s Bay in Okoboji.
Having spent many years in various roles related to water quality and monitoring at the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Mary was a natural fit for the head position at Iowa Lakeside Lab. Her B.S. and M.A. degrees in geography and her interdisciplinary Ph.D. in environmental science, all from the University of Iowa, bring a wealth of knowledge to her new position.
Iowa Lakeside Lab’s vision is to serve as a model for immersive, field-based research and education. Providing science classes and research opportunities for university students as well as outreach programs and services through the state universities and the local community. As their tag line states, this campus is a vibrant place for “studying nature in nature”.
Raised by educator parents, I actually spent a few summers up at Lakeside Lab in my early years while my dad conducted research and worked on his Masters and Ph.D. It’s a magical place and I would encourage you to check it out and see if there might be a course you would be interested in taking. They are open year around. At the very least, stop by and visit next time you are in the Okoboji area.
Learn more about all the great classes and research happening at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory at: https://iowalakesidelab.org
Something To Think About:
As Marie Curie once said . . .
“I am among those who think that science has great beauty. A scientist in his laboratory is not only a technician: He is also a child placed before natural phenomena which impress him like a fairy tale.”
And as Benjamin Franklin has said . . .
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I remember, involve me and I learn.”
Thank you Mary, for all that you are doing to support and manage a “studying nature in nature” environment up at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory.
We are truly grateful.