<h1>
	2013 Research Students</h1>
<p>
	Au Sable&rsquo;s commitment to original research investigation and research experience for Au Sable students continues in force in 2013. Seven students from five colleges will take part in continuing long-term research studies, including studies of the response of stream macroinvertebrate communities to dam removal on Michigan&rsquo;s Boardman River and the response of the invasive grass, <em>Phragmites australis</em>, to varying kinds and applications of herbicide treatment designed to prevent its spread in Michigan wetlands. Au Sable&rsquo;s student research team brings together a talented array of students for each study, many who already have significant professional skill in these studies gained through previous experience. Each has a unique story.</p>
<h2>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}davidpetry2013-150pxl.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 129px; float: right;" />David Petry, Bethel University (MN)</h2>
<p>
	David joins for his second summer of research at Au Sable Institute. His work focuses on the impact of hydroelectric dam removal on the macroinvertebrate communities of the Boardman River, one of Michigan&rsquo;s Blue Ribbon trout streams.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 12px;">David graduated from Bethel University (MN) with degrees in environmental science and biology. Through his educational and research experiences at Bethel University and Au Sable Institute, he developed a passion for aquatic biology. His experience with aquatic macroinvertebrates led to a research assistantship to complete his Master&rsquo;s degree in biology at Eastern Illinois University. After his time at Au Sable Institute, David will be studying the impact of effluent from a wastewater treatment facility on macroinvertebrate and mussel communities in the Sangamon River.&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">In his free time, you can find David outdoors fly-fishing, camping, or bird watching.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}nathan-hadley-200pxl.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 150px; float: right;" />Nathan Hadley, Wheaton College (IL)</h2>
<p>
	Nathan Hadley, an alumnus of Au Sable Institute, joins for his first summer of research. Last summer, Nathan took &#39;Field Biology in Spring&#39; at the Great Lakes Campus and &#39;Alpine Ecology&#39; and &#39;Marine Biology&#39; at the Pacific Rim Institute. Nathan is a senior at Wheaton College and will soon finish his BS in Environmental Science with a biology concentration. He is pursuing a career in conservation biology.&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 12px;">Nathan is a skilled nature photographer. He has an impressive resume of backpacking and rock climbing expeditions and competitions. He is in love with the mountains. He has a passion for remote and hard-to-reach locations and would love to be the biologist to go where few have gone before.&nbsp;</span></p>
<h2>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}joelbetts-200pxl.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 210px; float: right;" />Joel Betts, Calvin College (MI)</h2>
<p>
	Joel Betts, from Grand Rapids, Michigan, will be entering his fourth year at Calvin College (Michigan) in fall 2013 where he is pursuing majors in Biology (with honors) and International Development Studies, with minors in Environmental Studies and Biochemistry. During summer 2012, he conducted research in agroecology at Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, where he studied the effects of nitrogen fixing plants on the growth of grass species. He and his Calvin College advisor, Dr. David Dornbos, are currently pursuing publication for this research. Joel spent last fall in Honduras with the Calvin Study Abroad Program, where he investigated international development, learned Spanish, and engaged in a practicum assisting in cloud forest mammal monitoring in a Honduran national park. Joel&#39;s extracurricular work includes leading school group programs at Calvin&rsquo;s ecosystem preserve and serving as co-leader of the Student Environmental Stewardship Coalition. This summer, he will be joining the Au Sable research team to study the effects of dam removal on the Boardman River on macroinvertebrate communities. Joel enjoys playing jazz saxophone and ice hockey, as well as backpacking, canoeing, fishing and gardening.</p>
<h2>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}kendra-antonides-200pxl.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 207px; float: right;" />Kendra Antonides, Calvin College (MI)</h2>
<p>
	Kendra Antonides of Grimsby, Ontario in Canada has recently finished her third year at Calvin College (Michigan). She is currently studying biology with a pre-veterinary focus. In high school, she participated in the 2010 Niagara Regional Science and Engineering Fair. Her project &ndash; titled <em>Plants and Chemical Warfare</em> &ndash; focused on allelopathy. For her work, Kendra received the Ontario Institute of Agrology Award, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority Award for outstanding achievement, and a Certificate of Achievement from the Department of the Army of the United States of America. She has served as a volunteer on two separate short term research and conservation related projects in Africa. The first was through National Geographic Student Expeditions working on community water development, wildlife ecology, and researching the potential impacts of a highway through the Serengeti in Tanzania. The second project was through African Lion Environmental Research Trust for lion rehabilitation and conservation. She has also studied &#39;Ecology of the Indian Tropics&#39; through Au Sable in January 2012. By spending countless hours at two small-animal hospitals, Kendra&rsquo;s job-shadowing experience of veterinarians has led her consider how she can serve God in his kingdom through working with the animals we share the earth with. Kendra will be contributing to Au Sable&#39;s on-going research on shoreline restoration following the removal of <em>Phragmites australis</em>.</p>
<p>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}kelsey-piepkorn-200pxl.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 108px; float: right;" /></p>
<h2>
	Kelsey Piepkorn, Bethel University (MN)</h2>
<p>
	Kelsey Piepkorn is a recent graduate of Bethel University with a B.S. in Environmental Science. Her interdisciplinary undergraduate experiences have prepared her well to serve God through creation care. On campus she was the greenhouse keeper, volunteered in the campus garden, participated in Creation Restoration events, served as a member of the Green Council, and served as the Leadership Coordinator of Bethel Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa. Pursuit of cross-cultural experience brought her to study abroad in the beautiful country of Belize, where she received the opportunity to intern at the Belize Botanical Gardens. As an Au Sable Fellow, she attended the Great Lakes campus of Au Sable Institute in the summer of 2012 where she studied field botany, animal ecology, restoration ecology, and watershed stewardship. Kelsey will be applying her field botany knowledge to the summer research project gauging the effectiveness of herbicide treatments on&nbsp;<em>Phragmites australis</em>.</p>
<p>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Christian-Hayes-Catching-fish-200pxl.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 134px; float: right;" /></p>
<h2>
	Christian Hayes, Cedarville University (OH)</h2>
<p>
	Christian Hayes is a recent graduate from Cedarville University, receiving a BS in environmental science. While at Cedarville, Christian studied a wide range of scientific disciplines but developed an abiding interest in both the aquatic and marine ecosystems. His interest and experience will serve him well as a member of our Boardman River restoration team.</p>
<p>
	Christian has conducted personal research in the past and presented at the 2012 Ecological Society of America Conference in Portland, Oregon. He is an Au Sable alum, having taken two courses in marine biology and marine mammals at the Pacific Rim Campus in Summer 2012. Christian has recently been accepted to the Masters in Biology program at Loma Linda University, California where he will be working with the ProTECTOR organization in Honduras to study and promote the recovery of endangered sea turtles in the Pacific Ocean. In his free time Christian enjoys hiking, piano playing, and &nbsp;racquetball.</p>
<h2>
	<img alt="" src="{filedir_5}Casey-Shoaff-300pxl.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 148px; float: right;" />Casey Shoaff, Cornerstone University (MI)</h2>
<p>
	Casey Shoaff is a senior at Cornerstone University where he is pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Biology. Casey will be working on the Board Restoration research tream, studying the effects of dam removal on the Boardman River macroinvertebrate community.<span style="font-size: 12px;">&nbsp;He hopes to build off of his research experience at Au Sable this summer to pursue work in the Fisheries and Wildlife Departments for the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) doing stream restoration. Casey was born and raised in Traverse City, Michigan and is well-versed in the northern Michigan outdoors. Growing up he developed a love of God&rsquo;s creation through hiking, camping, h</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">unting, and fishing</span><span style="font-size: 12px;">.</span></p>
