HWS News
24 September 2025 • Research • STEM A Deep Dive into Finger Lakes Aquatic Research
Students investigate how pollutants travel, accumulate and influence the Finger Lakes.
This summer, seven students worked alongside HWS’ Finger Lakes Institute Director Lisa Cleckner on research projects that delved into some of the water quality concerns in the Finger Lakes. Their work, spread over 10 weeks, was wide-ranging, interdisciplinary, and as Cleckner explains, deeply connected.
Each student’s project was shaped by their academic background — biology, geoscience, environmental studies, computer science — but all shared a common thread: “Aquatic science integrates across many interrelated fields,” says Cleckner. From nutrient loading and invasive species to mercury and PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), students investigated how contaminants move through and impact the lakes.
Daudi Aden ’26 is a computer science and psychological science double major with a minor in data analysis, which he says has shaped both his technical interests and his curiosity about the human-centered applications of data science. To that end, he worked on developing an app to streamline environmental data analysis. It integrates data related to phytoplankton composition and information collected from buoys equipped to measure weather conditions.
His app helps assess instrument consistency, verify buoy sensor performance and ensure that the trends students observe are scientifically viable. Aden says his interest in the work stems from a desire to simplify complex validation processes in fieldwork settings to enable fast, reliable insights. “The project has sharpened my skills in both coding and scientific reasoning, especially as I work toward making data analysis more intuitive and robust for environmental monitoring teams.”
Research on Seneca Lake
Each student’s work is unique but complementary. Jenna Smith ’26 is an environmental studies major with a minor in computer science. She joined Cleckner’s group to get more research and lab experience. She says the work gives her a balance between being in the lab and out in the field.
For her part, Smith examined the Cayuga-Seneca Canal and how it impacts and flows into northern Cayuga Lake. To do this, Smith made a drifter — an instrument to study currents and water movements — to track water flow in the canal. At the same time, she measured chlorophyll and nutrient levels along the canal to see the impact on Cayuga Lake.
Danielle Krenzer ’27, a biology major minoring in aquatic science, is looking to become a marine biologist. Her summer research was geared toward reconstructing the lower food web of Seneca Lake. “HWS’ Finger Lakes Institute was one of the reasons I first committed to the school, so it has been fulfilling to finally be a part of it,” Krenzer says.
Assembling a chemically derived food web for Seneca Lake is critical for understanding how mercury transfers through aquatic organisms, Cleckner explains.
Linnea Darius ’26, a biology and environmental studies double major, studied the bioaccumulation of mercury in two fish species: creek chub and blacknose dace. Darius examined how external factors or point source pollution spots imp act the accumulation of mercury in these fish. She looked at two Seneca County sources: the Seneca Meadows Inc. landfill, which is known to excrete leachate -- a form of waste that increases the rate of mercury methylation. She also looked at the Seneca Army Depot, known to emit high volumes of PFAS through their use of firefighting foam.
Because mercury accumulates as it moves up the food chain, Darius’ research helps determine how lower-level organisms contribute to contaminant levels in top predators like lake trout, which we consume. Mercury, she notes, is a neurotoxin. Darius hopes to better understand where contamination is concentrated and why. Her goal is to continue her research through the academic year.
As a longtime rower — first on the Potomac River and now as captain of the HWS rowing team, Darius is on the lake and canal almost every day. She enjoys problem solving and the collaboration at FLI. “We get to work in such a close-knit environment where I can talk through the tough spots of my project with my peers and mentors,” she says. “I’m so glad I get to play a very small role in the research and education being done here.”
Biology and Environmental Studies major Jaylynn McCarthy ’26 looked at Seneca Lake’s nearshore and offshore phytoplankton response to nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen. McCarthy collected samples of water from various locations on the lake, explains Daniel Adelman ’25.
Adelman assisted Cleckner’s students in their research. With a degree in biochemistry, Adelman previously studied PFAS distribution, primarily in ocean settings in coastal waters. “Working on Seneca Lake is different because it’s freshwater, and the dynamics are more contained. However, Seneca’s depth means contaminants remain in the system longer than smaller lakes such as Keuka, where water flushes more quickly,” he says.
This is McCarthy’s second year of summer research at FLI. Her data this year, she says, will reveal what weather events and human activities are influencing phytoplankton distribution across the lake.
In the fall, Cleckner’s students will present their findings during Family and Friends Weekend and potentially at the Finger Lakes Research Conference in January. Many also go on to present at national and international conferences. “It’s really student-driven,” Cleckner says. “We support them if they’re interested in going.”
In partnership with Seneca Lake Pure Waters, Bailey Gervais, a Geoscience major, investigated the relationship between meteorological events measured with the Seneca Lake buoy and Cladophora, a nuisance green algae, accumulation on shorelines. Similarly, Lauren McNeill, a sophomore, analyzed some harmful algal bloom and stream water quality data for Keuka Lake provided by the Keuka Lake Association.
Just as important as the science is helping students understand their place in a larger community — of researchers, residents and policymakers. “We want them to know it’s not just scientists working on this,” Cleckner says. “The planning agencies care. The elected officials care. The residents care.”
