Headwater Science Institute’s winter of studying the snowpack in the Sierra Nevada continued last week with the completion of the Tahoe Expedition Academy Snow Science Field Program.
It was two days of fun-filled and informative research, the first day for ninth- and 10th-grade biology students and the second for 11th- and 12th-grade earth science students.
“I never knew what I skied on everyday was so complex,” one student said.
The days were a shortened version of Headwaters’ Research Experience, an immersive, months-long program where students develop a formal research paper, allowing students to see how snow depth and density is measured and what kinds of water-quality metrics can be measured from snow melt.
Like the full Research Experience, these students then completed a mini research project of their own to experience how the scientific process works.
Here are some more quotes from the two field days:
“I loved learning about how snow layers are formed and seeing it in real life.”
“I got to learn about the importance of snow and different factors [that can be measured] in snow. I got to be outside and have a blast.”
“I had a lot of fun and learned about albedo and its impact on rate of snow melt.”
Building a snow cave at the 2022 Bay School Snow Science Camp.
Do roads impact water quality in the snowpack? How does a forest or an open meadow change snowpack depth?
These are just some of the questions students examined at the recently completed Headwaters Science Institute’s Bay School Snow Science Camp in the Sierra Nevada’s Olympic Valley – topped off with a healthy portion of cross country skiing, playing in the snow and even learning how to build an emergency snow shelter.
“I thoroughly enjoyed this trip, from going out into the meadow of snow and taking samples, to cross country skiing,” Bay School camper Coco told Headwaters. “I learned so much over the course of this trip, especially about the chemicals in snow, such as pH and how that affects drinking water and the native biotic species.”
Arie Koshkin, a graduate student studying snow science at University of Nevada Reno, brought her expertise to the camp examining the effects of fire on snow pack. She even brought some cool instruments from her lab for the students to use.
“I really enjoyed being in the snow and learning about its role – from the chemical composition of snow to skiing,” Arie, another camper, said. “I also met a lot of new people and found friends with similar interests in science. This trip was really amazing and I can’t wait to continue exploring science.”
This past week 7th-grade students from the Oakland School of Language, a dual language Spanish English public middle school in Oakland, California, came to the Clair Tappaan Lodge on Donner Summit for a snow science program with Headwaters. This was the first time many of the students had seen snow before and presented a very special opportunity for them to study the source of much of California’s water. One of the unique aspects of this program for Headwaters was that many of the students did not speak English. While some of our instructors could teach in both Spanish and English other instructors communicated to students using teachers as translators.
One of the most powerful moments of this 3-day overnight program came out of students and Headwaters instructors dealing with this language barrier. This was centered around two students, who were creating a project around density and snow water equivalent in the snowpack. While waiting for their teacher to translate between them and their Headwaters instructor they started using Google translate on their computer. The group was then able to communicate directly with their Headwaters instructor and continue analyzing their data and creating their research presentation.
This system of text-based google translation worked quite well allowing their teacher to step back and spend more time with other groups. At the end of the program, these students walked up to their teacher and told him “See look what we did [refering to their presentation] and we did it all without you with an instructor didn’t even speak Spanish.” The teacher later described this event to Headwaters staff as “the best snubbing he has ever received.”
Through their Headwaters program, these students not only completed a rigorous independent research project, but they also proved to their teacher and themselves that they could successfully complete complex tasks with someone who can only speak English. The pride they took in this accomplishment shows in their declaration of independence from their translator. Language barriers are massive and daunting hurdles, but these students were engaged in their research projects and met to this challenge with determination and a problem-solving mindset. While Headwaters programs typically don’t set out to help students break down language barriers, the critical thinking and self-motivation demonstrated here are exactly what we aim to pass on to every student we work with.
This program would not have been made possible without support from many members of the Oakland community, the Sierra Club, and Tahoe Donner XC. Thank you all for making this great educational experience possible.
This past week students from the Park Day School’s 7th grade joined Headwaters on Donner Summit for a snow science program themed around snow as a source of water. A majority of California’s drinking water comes from melted snow which also serves as a ecosystem sustaining water source during the hot and dry summer months.
Students collect samples in the field site on Donner Summit.
Headwaters staff challenged students to create their own original research projects around something that would affect the water they consume in Oakland. The students worked together in teams to create a creative array of different projects around this theme. Below are some highlights from the group work.
A few groups of students noticed on arrival that the snow near the road was noticeably dirtier than the snow elsewhere around the field site and chose to investigate this further. They collected dozens of snow samples from near the road, in clean snow, and many areas in between. Students melted their snow samples and tested them for total dissolved solids (TDS), the concentration of ions like salts in water, as well as the clarity of the snow melt water to quantify how much dirt and organic matter was in the snow.
Students test their findings in their “laboratory” at Clair Tappaan Lodge.
This group hypothesized that they would find a linear decrease in TDS and increase in clarity as they moved away from the road. They found that areas within 8 feet of the road were significantly impacted with much higher TDS and much less clear meltwater while areas further than 8 feet showed very little effect from this human disturbance. The group also found evidence that particulates from the road not only affected snowmelt water quality but also made the snow near the road darker and warmer causing it to melt faster. While the roads studied did not have salts applied to them, these students hypothesized that the increase in TDS came from the mechanical breakdown of asphalt and sand by car tires. However, they also found an unexpected result of this increase. In their sample sites downhill of the road, this team found evidence that pollutants from the road were entering nearby waterways.
In their research presentation, these students discussed how the moderate decreases in water quality they observed on Donner Summit could be magnified further downstream in the reservoirs that hold much of the Bay Areas drinking water. Their project also highlights the importance of wetlands, swales, and catchment ponds which filter sediment and clean water.
Students share their findings through data analysis presented in this graph during their final research presentation.
This project is a great example of what makes Headwaters student programs so special. They start with students’ own observations and challenge them to explore their curiosity more deeply. Lead by their own investigations, students learn about the ecosystems they live in, how they work, and how to protect these important natural resources.
Students from California Middle School found a lot more snow than they were expecting this weekend at the Clair Tappaan Lodge on Donner Summit. During this science trip, they spent 3 days designing and completing their own original scientific research projects. They came up with a wonderfully creative spread of research questions such as: What are the sound muffling properties of snow? Do we find more invertebrates where there are fewer birds?
In total students collected over 1,000 data points to test their hypotheses. Over the course of the trip students spent over 13 hours of their time dedicated to science alone, which is the equivalent to 2 weeks of science class.
Between all this hard work, students were able to sneak in some group bonding time sledding, building an igloo, and playing games around the lodge. Beyond creating some impressive sled runs and research projects, students also practiced valuable science skills. Between pre- and post-program surveys 100% of students reported overcoming a challenge with their projects and the percentage of students who responded as “Very Confident” in their ability to apply the scientific method increased by 30%.
Student Research Highlights
One of the two groups of students studying invertebrates found that invertebrates were highest near water sources and in tree stumps. In addition to overcoming their fear of spiders, this group concluded that insects were more common near water because of the role water plays in many insects’ reproductive life cycles. They also hypothesized that more invertebrates were found in stumps because most of these insects were decomposers and that the stumps may have offered invertebrates shelter from the cold weather.
Some students used speakers and audio recording equipment to measure how different depths of snow could muffle sound. They found that 50 cm of snow could almost completely muffle the loudest sound a human could make.
Three students surveyed snow depth around the lodge to learn about factors that affect snow depth in the spring. They collected data in areas that had been impacted by humans as well as in undisturbed places. They found that places humans had walked had average snowpack that was of 30% less than nearby undisturbed areas. These students thought that this was because people walking on snow caused to become dirtier, and therefore darker, which led to that area melting faster.
Understanding the mechanics of snow melt in the Sierra is especially for the hydrologists who manage California’s many reservoirs in order to prevent flooding and supply drinking water throughout dry summer months. For more information about the importance of water in the Sierra, check out a previous blog post with information on the water cycle.
Headwaters would like to thank the Sierra Club for partnering with us to offer lodging at the Clair Tappaan Lodge.
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Matt Ellis-Ramírez is an interdisciplinary ecologist focused on science communication, education, and design. His work bridges the lab, classroom and community, from studying coral viruses as an NSF Microbiomes Fellow at UC Berkeley to leading field and professional development programs with Florida International University’s Coastal Everglades REU. He also co-created and taught a high school course on sea level rise that blends art and science to explore climate change. Matt is an Aspen Institute Future Climate Leader, former youth climate advisor to the Mayor of Miami-Dade County, and a published poet.
Most recently he served as an NSF Microbiomes Fellow at UC Berkeley studying the viruses that affect coral, however off the lab bench he led educational workshops at the Bodega Marine Laboratory. Previously he was the Assistant Program Coordinator for Florida International University’s Coastal Everglades Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) leading professional development training and field-work opportunities for underclassmen. Additionally, Matt co-wrote and taught an interdisciplinary high school course on sea level rise in Miami bridging art and science to highlight the magnitude of
Matt is an Aspen Institute Future Climate Leader award recipient, a previous youth climate advisor to the mayor of Miami-Dade County and a published poet. During his free time you will find him outdoors getting way too close to the crabs in the tidepools, cooking for his friends or working on community-led projects back home in Guatemala.
Baylee grew up in Lake Tahoe, California, where her love for wildlife and wild places first began. She earned her degree in Zoology from Oregon State University and has spent the past six years working in environmental education and conservation across eight states. From teaching ecology and wildlife programs in the wetlands of Florida to leading science-based field trips in the mountains of Washington, Baylee has dedicated her career to helping people better understand and appreciate the natural world. Her work with a variety of nonprofits and science organizations has strengthened her commitment to making education accessible, engaging, and inclusive for all learners.
Outside of work, Baylee feels most at home outdoors—whether she’s hiking through forests, paddleboarding on alpine lakes, or photographing wildflowers and starry skies. She believes that fostering curiosity and wonder in nature is the first step toward inspiring stewardship and conservation.
Senior Marketing, Communications, and Development Manager
Jenn Cotton holds a B.S. in Event Management from the University of Central Florida and brings over 15 years of diverse experience in education and science. Her career spans from hands-on marine science instruction—teaching through shark research and field investigations—to leading science education initiatives for over 300 secondary educators in a Florida school district. Jenn has served on the board of the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair, launched an educational program for OCEARCH’s Global Shark Tracker, and most recently worked as a Risk Manager at NASA.
Mary Kathryne Schumaker has a Bachelor of Science in Coastal Environmental Science from Louisiana State University and A&M College with a minor in Mandarin Chinese and Disaster Science & Management. She was previously the Watershed Programs Coordinator for the Tennessee based water quality nonprofit WaterWays, where she taught science programs and assisted with communications and fundraising efforts. She is excited to continue to help with school programs in the Bay Area while exploring the natural beauty the West Coast has to offer.
Communications Director and Research Program Manager
Megan Joyce works at the intersection between science, education, and storytelling as a communications consultant. She has worked to advance conservation in the US with Defenders of Wildlife, the Wolf Conservation Center, and NOAA, and works globally with Reverse the Red. Megan has also consulted with child and family services stakeholder engagement in San Francisco. Megan graduated from Cornell University with a B.S. in Environmental and Sustainability Sciences and from Syracuse University with an MPA in Environmental Policy.
In her free time, Megan is often outsides hiking, rowing, coaching adaptive skiing, or taking photos of wildlife!
Monique graduated from Vassar College with a double major in Biology and STS (Science, Technology, and Society) and a minor in Education. She is passionate about sharing her excitement for science with students through hands-on research. Before joining Headwaters, she worked as a kayak and bike guide in Washington State’s San Juan Islands. In her free time, Monique enjoys exploring the outdoors, hiking, biking, kayaking and trail running.
Chase Oishi is a passionate naturalist with a proven ability to develop and implement engaging educational programs spanning from early childhood to adults. His educational initiatives specialize in fostering a social-emotional connection, inclusivity, and cultural responsiveness. Throughout his career, he’s focused on shaping the next generation of environmentally conscious individuals through innovative and impactful nature-intensive science programs.
Brea Gillespie has a PhD from the University of California, Davis, and San Diego State University and an undergraduate degree from Spelman College. Her research has ranged from fog occurrence throughout California to salinity in the Florida Everglades to bumblebees in Connecticut. She has taught elementary-aged children and informed them of the importance of data-driven policy and open-access data. In her free time, she volunteers with local organizations such as the Bringing Back the Natives Garden Tour, Pollinator Posse, and the California Native Plant Society to make her community more representative of the original landscape.
Mary Ellen holds a BA in Biology/Environmental Studies from University of California, Santa Cruz. She has worked as an environmental education guide for more than 10 years, balancing that with substitute teaching K-12 in the local school district. For fun she coaches a high school Nordic ski team and tries to get in as much play time outside, skiing, running and biking. She hopes to inspire students to be curious about natural processes in order to foster a deeper appreciation of our environment.
Eva Bradman
Program, Marketing, and Fundraising Assistant
Eva Bradman has a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from UC Santa Barbara, with minors in Science Communication and Spatial Science. She has worked with multiple nonprofits as an environmental science educator, teaching in classrooms and leading programs along the coasts of Santa Barbara and the San Francisco Bay Area. During undergrad, she worked in the field through marine science research, habitat restoration, and field ecology coursework. As a Berkeley native, she is excited to collaborate with local schools to inspire students and share her passion for science.
Anne holds a Ph.D. in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology from the University of Nevada, Reno where she researched the impacts of human-induced changes on sexually selected signals of a butterfly. She has also been a part of several scientific outreach programs, including a community science project (Pieris Project) and the University of Nevada’s Museum of Natural History. Anne is excited to continue sharing the scientific process and research with a diversity of students through the Headwaters Science Institute!
Katie Cannon
Program Manager of the Bay Area
Katie is the Program Manager of the Bay Area, managing after school and summer camps. Katie is originally from North Carolina and just recently made the move to California. She has her degree in special education and is working on her master of arts in biology through Project Dragonfly out of Miami University in Ohio. When not working, Katie loves to hang out with her rescue dog Charley and explore new areas in her new hometown.
Megan holds a PhD in zoology from Washington State University and is passionate about science and the environment. Her focus is on teaching more people the process of science and she hopes to bring it to as many students as possible across the US. In her free time, Meg enjoys Nordic skiing, running, and playing with her family in the Sierra.
