LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - More than 80 middle and high school students from Lima City Schools traveled to Ohio State Lima for the William Fowler Science Series.
The Ohio State University at Lima and Lima City Schools have teamed up through the William Fowler Science Series to inspire future scientists. The cross-disciplinary program includes 37 South Science and Technology Magnet Middle School students and 45 Lima Senior High School students, who incorporate the series’ topic into their science curriculum. This school year, the focus is on water quality.
The Ohio State University at Lima and Lima City Schools have teamed up through the William Fowler Science Series to inspire future scientists.
"We thought it would resonate well with the students showing that what we do on our ag lands, what our producers and farmers do, has a potential impact on water quality, so today was focused on talking about nitrogen and phosphorus and how they move off of fields and when they leave the fields what do they do in the lake," said Dr. Chris Winslow, Director of the Ohio Sea Grant Program and Stone Laboratory, The Ohio State University. "Part of that is to really show the connectivity of this planet. What we do in northwest Ohio impacts Cleveland depending on where that water goes and how it moves," he added.
The 2025 Fowler Science Series keynote speaker, Dr. Chris Winslow, emphasized how local activities can impact water quality both near and far. By discussing various scientific topics with students, Dr. Winslow hopes to inspire them to realize that their actions can make a difference.
"The decisions you make impact other people, so let's increase that level of dialogue and communication to make sure that we're all working in as close of harmony as we can," Dr. Winslow emphasized.
Following the keynote presentation and lab activities for the middle schoolers, brainstorming on ways to improve water quality has already begun.
The program includes 37 South Science and Technology Magnet Middle School students and 45 Lima Senior High School students.
"I had a great time. The speakers were amazing, and all of the teachers that taught me these experiments and all of these things were just great. I think one thing that I would take home is probably that we probably need to work on the water in Lake Erie," shared Elias Creighton, 7th grade student at South Science and Technology Magnet School.
"I think people in society definitely need to know that they don't realize how much it affects them until it does. They don't realize how much of the water that we use at home like just leaving that sink on or the amount of times we flush a toilet, they don't realize how much that goes into the water system, and I think people just need to be more conscious and aware of it and that can help our environment," shared Vanisa Sinthalaphone, 12th grade student at Lima Senior High School.
