Write a commentThe H. Lee White Maritime Museum is pleased to present “Seeing Below the Surface: Exploration of Water Quality in Lake Ontario” by Andrew S. Brainard, PhD and David Andrews of the Upstate Freshwater Institute (UFI) as part of their Sanctuary Speaker Series on Wednesday, August 19th at 6:00pm.
Join us for this free program that explores how UFI’s advanced monitoring buoy systems collect near-real-time data on temperature, waves, and weather, and how that information supports scientific research and recreation. With data and imagery captured via underwater cameras, we invite you to dive beneath Lake Ontario’s surface to learn about water quality monitoring and its recreation connection. This work contributes to ongoing efforts within the Lake Ontario National Marine Sanctuary with support from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Sanctuary Community Fund.
Andrew Brainard, PhD, is the Executive Director of UFI, leading their monitoring, water quality assessment, and applied research programs. Growing up in the Southern Tier, river fishing trips sparked an early interest in freshwater systems. He earned his MS in Ecology at West Chester University in Pennsylvania and his doctorate at SUNY ESF, where he studied the ecological impacts of invasive aquatic plants and benthic invertebrates across many lakes, including the Great Lakes.
David Andrews is a Senior Research Scientist at UFI where he has worked for seven years. He also leads the UFI Scientific Diving program, logging numerous dives to deploy monitoring buoys in Lake Ontario. David grew up in the central Adirondacks, where his interest in the outdoors led him to earn a bachelor's degree in Aquatics and Fisheries from SUNY ESF. After working in the marine fisheries industry in Gloucester, MA, he earned his MS in Lake Management from SUNY Oneonta and is currently pursuing a PhD at SUNY ESF.
For more information on the Upstate Freshwater Institute and all the great work they do, visit upstatefreshwater.org.
The H. Lee White Maritime Museum's new Sanctuary Speaker Series brings together experts in science, history, preservation, and underwater exploration, offering fresh perspectives on Lake Ontario and its cultural and natural resources, and is funded in part by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation’s Sanctuary Community Fund. This program is offered free of charge and is open to the public. The Maritime Museum and Treasure Chest Gift Shop are open daily, 1-5pm (10-5pm in July and August), on the West 1st St. Pier in Oswego Historic Maritime District. For more information on this or other programs, contact the Museum at 315-342-0480 or visit hlwmm.org.
