Media can reach Chrissy Billau at 312.805.3001 and follow her on Twitter: @chrissybillauUM.
April 2025
MLive: Northern Michigan Research Station Temporarily Closes to Public Following Ice Storms
UMBS Director Aimée Classen and Chrissy Billau, who leads marketing and communications at UMBS, discuss the damage and cleanup at the field station following severe ice storms.
March 2025
Earth.com: Older Forests Do Not Necessarily Store More Carbon
Luke Nave, a UMBS researcher and faculty member at Michigan Technological University, and Jason Tallant, UMBS data manager and research specialist, discuss their newly published study that found that carbon storage in forests depends more on what’s happening within the ecosystem than how old it is.
Phys.org: Time is Not the Driving Influence of Forest Carbon Storage, Study Finds
Luke Nave, a UMBS researcher and faculty member at Michigan Technological University, and Jason Tallant, UMBS data manager and research specialist, discuss their newly published study that involved the effort of more than 100 scientists over many decades at the University of Michigan Biological Station and leverages historic data at the campus in northern Michigan.
December 2024
Science News: Trees are Failing to Adapt to Climate Change. Losing Fungi Partners May be Why
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, discusses the importance of understanding mycorrhizal plant interactions when it comes to tree conservation and diversity.
October 2024
The Lakeland Mirror: Across the Lake: Madeleine Wattenberg’s Artist-in-Residence Experience
Dr. Madeleine Wattenberg, an assistant professor of writing at Lakeland University in Wisconsin, was an Artist in Residence at the University of Michigan Biological Station from June 23 to Aug. 2, 2024.
September 2024
Audubon: A Hopeful Future: Another Record-Breaking Season for Great Lakes Piping Plovers
Stephanie Schubel, the lead plover bander and field team coordinator for the Great Lakes Piping Plover population recovery effort, is one of four University of Minnesota researchers stationed at UMBS along Douglas Lake. She discusses how it’s easier for people to connect with the birds and care about them when we know who the birds are.
July 2024
AOL: Get an Up Close Look at U of M Biological Station During Open House
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of UMBS, discussed the excitement of welcoming local community members and families to the research and teaching campus in northern Michigan.
Petoskey News-Review: Get an Up Close Look at U of M Biological Station During Open House
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of UMBS, discussed the excitement of welcoming local community members and families to the research and teaching campus in northern Michigan.
The St. Ignace News: BioStation Open House is Sunday
Local community members and families are invited to explore the University of Michigan Biological Station along Douglas Lake from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, July 21, at 9133 Biological Rd. in Pellston.
13 ABC: UMBS, Headlands International Dark Sky Park Bring Aurora Speaker to Northern Michigan
The University of Michigan Biological Station co-hosted an event at the Headlands International Dark Sky Park in Mackinaw City along Lake Michigan on Monday, July 15, featuring Ross Ellet, an Emmy-award winning meteorologist and aurora chaser, who gave a presentation about space weather, aurora borealis and photographing the Northern Lights.
MLive: Up-north Facility Fosters Endangered Great Lakes Piping Plovers
Members of the piping plover captive rearing team at UMBS including Dr. Francie Cuthbert give a behind-the-scenes look at the conservation program showing success.
MLive: Photo Gallery: Captive Rearing Program for Great Lakes Piping Plovers
Scroll through photos of Great Lakes Piping Plovers at UMBS on June 17, from hours-old hatchlings to several weeks old.
May 2024
Michigan Public (NPR): The Bird Connection: Change and Decline in Our World, Part 2 - Pollution
Starting 9 minutes and 50 seconds into an NPR documentary about birds and water, Dr. Aimée Classen, UMBS director and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Researcher Karin Rand, who manages the Classen Lab, discuss the historically mild winter, diminishing snowpack and how that might affect aquatic organisms that rely on minerals and nutrients that are carried into creeks, rivers and lakes.
Northern Michigan NPR (Interlochen Public Radio): UM Biological Station Announces Summer Lecture Series
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, discusses how the science stories we can tell about the natural world are fascinating, almost like suspense novels.
MLive: Learn About Birds, Botany at Historic Up North Research Station’s Free Lecture Series
The public is invited on Wednesday’s at 7 p.m. to learn from scientists, artists and authors this summer at the historic University of Michigan Biological Station.
WEMU (NPR): University of Michigan to Offer Free Summer Lectures at the Biological Station
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, talks about the importance of engaging with the community about critical environmental issues and how the science impacts all of us.
April 2024
The Detroit News: Tepid Winter Brought Record-Low Seasonal Ice Coverage to Great Lakes
Resident Biologist Adam Schubel talks about the shortest ice season UMBS scientists have ever recorded on Douglas Lake.
Traverse City Record-Eagle: Researchers Declare Earliest-Ever Douglas Lake Ice-Out
Dr. John Lenters, senior research specialist at UMBS, and Resident Biologist Adam Schubel discuss the record set on Douglas Lake for ice cover this historically mild winter.
Northern Michigan NPR (Interlochen Public Radio): In 'Michigan's Icebox,' the Ice on Douglas Lake Melted Earlier Than Ever
Dr. John Lenters, senior research specialist at UMBS, and Resident Biologist Adam Schubel discuss the record set on Douglas Lake for ice cover this historically mild winter.
March 2024
TV 6 (Michigan’s Upper Peninsula): Researchers Explore This Winter’s Lack of Snow, Ice in Upper Michigan
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, discusses how less snow and more rain during the winter can impact ecosystems.
Michigan Public (NPR): Stateside: Thursday, March 21, 2024
Starting 30 minutes and 55 seconds into this radio program, NPR aired a five-minute interview with Mark Paddock to remember the beloved naturalist in northern Michigan. It was recorded last year by Kyle Norris during his artist residency at UMBS.
February 2024
Bridge Michigan: As Michigan Winters Vanish, Researchers Study Snow for Clues About What’s Next
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Researcher Karin Rand, who manages the Classen Lab, and UMBS Resident Biologist Adam Schubel discuss changing winters and a new sensor that measures snow depth every hour to get a deeper understanding of the complexities of global environmental change.
The Michigan Daily: UMich Biological Station Uses Snowpacks to Study Changing Winters
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Researcher Karin Rand, who manages the Classen Lab, discuss their new sensor that measures snow depth every hour to get a deeper understanding of the complexities of global environmental change.
13 ABC: Less Snow is Impacting Local Ecosystems
Karin Rand, a researcher at the U-M Biological Station and manager of the Classen Lab, explains how the new high-frequency snowpack sensor is helping researchers get a deeper understanding of the complexities of global environmental change.
January 2024
MLive: Snow Science: How Snowpack Affects Soil and Summer Plant Growth
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station and a professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, and Researcher Karin Rand, who manages the Classen Lab, discuss their new sensor that measures snow depth every hour to get a deeper understanding of the complexities of global environmental change.
Michigan Public (NPR): 10-year Study of Michigan Stream Before, During, and After Dam Removal Published
Dr. Paul Moore, a researcher and instructor at UMBS, discusses a newly published study that was conducted at the University of Michigan Biological Station involving a decade of students and faculty.
December 2023
Northern Michigan NPR (Interlochen Public Radio): Extensive Study Finds Dam Removal Heals Maple River, Near Pellston
Dr. Paul Moore, a researcher and instructor at UMBS, discusses a newly published study that was conducted at the University of Michigan Biological Station involving a decade of students and faculty.
September 2023
MLive: Flower or Fungus? This Mysterious Michigan Plant has Some Surprising Secrets
Dr. Susan Fawcett, an instructor of the botany course at UMBS and a research botanist at the University of California, Berkeley, explains why a Michigan native plant commonly known as ghost pipe is often mistaken for mushrooms and how it works with fungi to get the nutrients it needs.
June 2023
13 ABC: Aurora Chaser Talks Northern Lights at University of Michigan Biological Station
UMBS Summer Lecture Series speaker Ross Ellet, an Emmy-award winning meteorologist and aurora chaser, gave a presentation about space weather, aurora borealis and photographing the Northern Lights at UMBS and the Headlands International Dark Sky Park.
Petoskey News-Review: Three Artists Selected for Summer Residency at U-M Biological Station
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station, discusses how scientists and artists can work together to inspire deeper understanding and appreciation of local ecosystems and improve public engagement to support conservation.
Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Three Artists Selected for Summer Residency at U-M Biological Station
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station, discusses how scientists and artists can work together to inspire deeper understanding and appreciation of local ecosystems and improve public engagement to support conservation.
May 2023
MLive: Free Up-North Summer Lecture Series Focused on Climate, Environment
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station, talks about the Summer Lecture Series that features topics ranging from “slow birding” and scientific art to Indigenous science and the Northern Lights.
Traverse City Record-Eagle: Summer Lectures Aim to Demystify Great Lakes Science
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station, explains how the free, public talks at UMBS throughout the summer allow people to explore the wonder of biology and the natural areas that they live in.
Northern Michigan NPR (Interlochen Public Radio): Summer Lectures Aim to Demystify Great Lakes Science
Dr. Aimée Classen, director of the U-M Biological Station, explains how the free, public talks at UMBS throughout the summer allow people to explore the wonder of biology and the natural areas that they live in.
