February is heart month, and I wear mine on my sleeve when it comes to research and discovery.
Science is the life blood of our field research station.
Here at the University of Michigan Biological Station, we stand on the shoulders of the generations of scientists who came before us to steward this special place on earth. Year by year, decade by decade, into our second century of operations from our remote neck of the woods in northern Michigan, we advance knowledge about the world. We are a like a family tree passing down historic data sets going back to 1909 and — branch by branch — building on what we’ve learned to help us understand and manage the fascinating, changing world we live in.
This is my love letter to science and the scientists who do passionately important work. It’s also an emphatic embrace of all the people who make scientific discovery possible. Without them, we couldn’t and wouldn’t unravel mysteries and find solutions to make life more sustainable.
Thank you to all the generous donors and community members who support UMBS research and education and value learning about the interconnectivity of living things and the careful management of our natural resources. It’s extraordinary that you’re curious about the sustainability of ecosystems, the species that inhabit them, and the training of budding scientists who will carry the torch of exploration and discovery far into the future.
Right now, UMBS is positioned — thanks to our generous donors — to try and help scientists who are losing their federal funding. We will continue to work on growing our support as new policies unfold. It’s still unclear the full impact to UMBS researchers as announcements from Washington, D.C., reshape the higher education landscape. I am happy to answer questions you may have, though I may not yet have all of the answers.
UMBS is a place that is designed to provide maximum efficiency and return on investment for the state of Michigan and the nation. There’s no need to begin research from scratch here. At research stations like UMBS, you’re already ahead of the game on Day One thanks to the mountain of work done by our predecessors. That’s one of the reasons field stations exist. And at UMBS, we provide a rustic campus community full of laboratories, residential housing and dining accommodations nestled along Douglas Lake to make it accessible to live and learn away from home, whether you’re staying for a few days or a more than a month.
Science funding spurs the work at UMBS. For example, McIntire-Stennis funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture is helping to support the winter research I am doing with Dr. Inés Ibáñez, a professor in the U-M School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and an instructor of the Forest Ecosystems course at UMBS. She dug through more than a foot of snow at the Biological Station two weeks ago to remove several resin strips (soil nutrient probes) as part of an eight-month tracer study. We want to know what happens underground during the winter and how it impacts summer growth. Contrary to common assumptions, soils and trees may not be dormant right now. Winter conditions may be driving summer plant production, and that could have big implications for a variety of things including our food supply as we navigate changing winters. We want to make a prediction of how these forests may function in the future.
Ines and I are in great company at UMBS. Scientists from around the world do their research at the more than 10,000 forested acres surrounded by lakes in Pellston. Their work and the resulting understanding of place are supported by a ton of agencies such as the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and so many more.
We’re proud of these partnerships throughout our 116-year history of science and discovery.
Did you know that a scientist at UMBS discovered swimmer’s itch in 1928? Through parasite research at UMBS, Dr. Willliam W. Cort of Johns Hopkins University characterized the life cycles of organisms responsible for swimmer’s itch in humans. His information about how it spreads is still relevant today the world over for moms and dads trying to reduce the risk of their children getting skin rashes when they take a dip in a body of water.
That’s just one example of the enduring power of science. And we have so much more to learn.
We will continue to work with our partners and lead the way for more research discoveries that improve the human condition and enlighten our understanding of the natural world.
One of the greatest gifts I ever received from my parents was their love of science. They started me on this life-long voyage full of curiosity and learning: the spirit of adventure, the joy of discovery, the world of nature and the strength of knowledge.
Raising my own boys, I fully understand that if you love something, your children will want to love it too.
I am lucky that my teenage son Finn was available (and willing!) to spend Valentine’s Day with me at the University of Michigan Biological Station this month. He’s the one who walked on the ice in snowshoes to draw a giant heart on Douglas Lake.
He may not pursue a career in research like his parents, but I know in my deep heart’s core that long after I’m gone, he’ll carry on our love of science, stay informed on major discoveries, talk about research advancements with respect, and question what we know with curious care. This scientist mom holds a lot of hope for the future. In my own children and through college students who choose to stop at UMBS on their academic journey, I see changemakers and feel confident in the next generations.
I hope you all join me in showing love for UMBS on Giving Blueday. On Wednesday, March 19, you can double your impact on the field research station in northern Michigan through donation matching opportunities. As we’ve appreciated for so long but come to feel more deeply these last few weeks, every gift makes a difference — from $10 to $10,000 and beyond. I’m proud to announce that an anonymous donor has agreed to match all gifts to UMBS 1:1 up to $6,000!
In honor of Valentine’s Day this month, we have a sweet surprise for you. Snuggle up and read two UMBS love stories. The summer day Corbin Kuntze met his future wife at the University of Michigan Biological Station nine years ago, he wasn’t looking for love. He was looking for coyotes. And Chris West pulled at my own heart strings when he said, “There’s a quietude at UMBS that allows a deeper level of connection with yourself, others, and the whole natural world. Nothing else seems to matter or exist.”
Even if you’re not a romance reader, I guarantee you’ll enjoy how the alumni celebrate the classes they took and the research they did and the friendships they made during the momentous summers along Douglas Lake when their lives changed forever.
Read the full February 2025 newsletter and watch a new video featuring students immersed in nature, engaging all of their senses in the remote, natural setting that nurtures deep thought and scientific discovery.
Sincerely,
Dr. Aimée Classen
UMBS Director
