The Conservation Catalysts: Our Journey
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Our team's journey as "The Conservation Catalysts" began in the summer of 2018, when a few of us entered into the high school STEM competition known as eCYBERMISSION. We were given the incredible opportunity to run research with cyanobacteria, E. coli, and much more at a microbiology lab at Brigham Young University under the direction of Dr. Julianne Grose.
After this experience, we were hooked: we learned about the severity of the issue with cyanobacteria in Utah's bodies of water, and we knew we had to do something about it. More importantly, we knew we had the ability to do something about it. Ultimately, this has brought us to where we are today! We are simply a team of online high school students in Utah trying to make a difference in our state by raising awareness about a severe problem that people do not know enough about. It is our goal as the Conservation Catalysts to conserve clean water, one change at a time. Wish us luck! |
Education & Outreach
We want to help educate the general public and larger organizations about the growing need for local solutions regarding our water.
Our goals for Education and Outreach consist of creating multiple Water TIp infographics (found below), as well as a brochure to
share with the public in order to raise awareness about this issue and what we, the Conservation Catalysts, are doing to help.
Our goals for Education and Outreach consist of creating multiple Water TIp infographics (found below), as well as a brochure to
share with the public in order to raise awareness about this issue and what we, the Conservation Catalysts, are doing to help.
Science Solutions
During our time in the BYU Microbiology last year, we worked with several water samples from numerous bodies of water, and we came to discover that almost every major body of water in Utah houses cyanobacteria, or other strains of bacteria, to some extent. However, Utah Lake has such an abundance and overpopulation of cyanobacteria that there have been many toxic algae blooms in the lake,
a few of which have taken the lives of dogs and other wildlife.
Luckily, though, there could be a scientific solution that we may experiment with in the near future.
Bacteriophages (a type of microscopic virus) are able to consume cyanobacteria if they align their DNA with the part of the cyanobacteria they are aiming to eliminate. We may look into the process of isolating phages in hopes of "training them" (manipulating their DNA) to attack this cyanobacteria, thus ultimately putting an end to algal blooms in Utah's bodies of water.
a few of which have taken the lives of dogs and other wildlife.
Luckily, though, there could be a scientific solution that we may experiment with in the near future.
Bacteriophages (a type of microscopic virus) are able to consume cyanobacteria if they align their DNA with the part of the cyanobacteria they are aiming to eliminate. We may look into the process of isolating phages in hopes of "training them" (manipulating their DNA) to attack this cyanobacteria, thus ultimately putting an end to algal blooms in Utah's bodies of water.
Resources
Below you can find all of our Utah Water Tips, as well as our brochure.
If you really want to help us out in our attempts of putting an end to Utah's water issues, share these tips on social media and spread word!
The more people who know about the problem and how severe it is, the more likely we will be able to make a difference and leave a true impact.
If you really want to help us out in our attempts of putting an end to Utah's water issues, share these tips on social media and spread word!
The more people who know about the problem and how severe it is, the more likely we will be able to make a difference and leave a true impact.