First-year geoscience majors Sam Jones (pictured, left) and Kyle Guibord (pictured, right) spent Sept. 11, 2025, gathering samples from Summit Lake in Akron with faculty mentor Dr. John Peck. The project introduces new students to hands-on research during their very first semester at The University of Akron.
Jones is analyzing how sediment type varies with wave energy to better define sediment focus processes, while Guibord is examining how heavy metal content in lake sediments has changed over the past several years. Their work highlights the department’s emphasis on experiential learning, giving students the opportunity to apply scientific methods outside the classroom and contribute to ongoing environmental research in Northeast Ohio.