Ecosystem Management students compete to prevent Asian carp in the Great Lakes
City of Kawartha Lakes, ON (Feb. 12, 2016) – Five teams of Fleming College Ecosystem Management Technician students are set to compete at the Asian Carp Canada Innovative Solutions Competition on Saturday, March 5.
The competition is a platform for university and college students to showcase their original ideas for designs and technologies which could be used in the prevention, control and/or elimination of Asian carp in the Great Lakes basin.
Each Fleming team submitted a proposal for the competition and all were accepted. Fleming Ecosystem Management students will make up one-third of the teams competing at the event.
“We had an excellent response from the students and reached our goal for registration. There will be 15 teams presenting at the event with six of those from colleges and nine from universities,” said Kristine Pinkney, Senior Analyst, Asian Carp Project Officer at the Invasive Species Centre.
The students were presented with the option to prepare and submit a proposal to the competition as part of a fourth semester course that focuses on human and wildlife conflict.
“The timeline was tight but the teams dug in and did an excellent job clearing the first hurdle by having their proposals accepted. They were competing against undergraduate and Master’s students from universities and colleges across the country,” said Josh Feltham, Coordinator of Fleming’s Ecosystem Management Technician/Technology program.
The one-day event will take place at the University of Toronto at Scarborough. Subject matter and academic experts comprise the panel of judges. The judges will determine the winning entry based on pre-established criteria. Awards will be presented to teams with the highest scores in various categories.
The competition is held to raise awareness and increase knowledge about the issues surrounding Asian carp, and the work being done currently to prevent their introduction and establishment in the Great Lakes.
The event provides participants with an opportunity to develop an idea which might be instrumental in the prevention, management or elimination of Asian carp in the Great Lakes. It also gives students a platform to showcase their ideas and presentation skills, and creates an atmosphere that allows students to exchange ideas with scientists, academic professionals and industry experts. As well the competition is used to develop ideas that will inform technology and policy in the future and gain perspective from a younger generation that has not yet entered the workforce.
About Fleming College
Located in the heart of Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 100 full-time programs in Arts and Heritage, Business, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, General Arts and Science, Health and Wellness, Justice and Community Development, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Continuing Education. Fleming College has more than 5,800 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and 68,000 alumni.
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Media, for more information please contact:
Laura Copeland
Communications Officer
laura.copeland@flemingcollege.ca
705.749.5530 x 1370