{"id":80622,"date":"2026-01-07T21:29:22","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T21:29:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/80622\/"},"modified":"2026-01-07T21:29:22","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T21:29:22","slug":"gannon-universitys-project-neptwne-launches-community-science-series-at-cleer-in-blasco-library","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/80622\/","title":{"rendered":"Gannon University\u2019s Project NePTWNE launches community science series at CLEER in Blasco Library"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>        <a href=\"https:\/\/talkerie.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CLEERgraphic.jpg\" data-caption=\"\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" class=\"entry-thumb td-modal-image\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/CLEERgraphic-640x427.jpg\"   alt=\"CLEER\" title=\"CLEERgraphic\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>As part of Project NePTWNE (Nano &amp; Polymer Technology for Water Networks of Erie), Gannon University invites the community to explore Lake Erie, local wildlife and the night sky through a new series of free, family-friendly educational programs hosted at the Center for Lake Erie Education and Research (CLEER) inside the Blasco Library. Running January through May, these handson, Sunday programs are designed to spark curiosity, encourage conversation, and deepen environmental awareness for learners of all ages.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cProject NePTWNE and CLEER is about helping our community better understand the systems that sustain Lake Erie and our region,\u201d said Sam Mason, Ph.D., director of Project NePTWNE at Gannon University. \u201cBy inviting people of all ages to explore found objects, local wildlife and even the night sky, these programs turn curiosity into awareness and awareness into stewardship of our shared environment.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFound Objects\u201d Exhibit Series \u2013 Sundays: Jan. 11, 18 and 25 | 1 to 3 p.m.<\/p>\n<p>What was this object before it washed up on the shore of Lake Erie \u2014 and how did it get there? That\u2019s the question posed in \u201cFound Objects,\u201d a series inviting children, families and educators to examine real items collected from Lake Erie\u2019s shoreline and help uncover their origins.<\/p>\n<p>Each Sunday will focus on a different material:<\/p>\n<p>Jan. 11: Metal objects<\/p>\n<p>Jan. 18: Beach glass<\/p>\n<p>Jan. 25: Plastics<\/p>\n<p>Displayed for close-up inspection in the CLEER education lab, the exhibit encourages speculation, discussion and environmental awareness about how everyday materials can impact local waterways. Tom Benson and Alan Swigonski will be present each week to engage visitors and answer questions.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAsk an Astronomer\u201d Monthly Series \u2013 First Sunday of the month | February\u2013May<\/p>\n<p>Ever wonder what\u2019s happening in the Erie night sky? Gannon professor David Horne, Ph.D., will host \u201cAsk an Astronomer\u201d at CLEER\u2019s NOAA Science on a Sphere\u00ae, offering monthly updates on astronomical events and personalized guidance for stargazing enthusiasts. Participants can expect engaging visual presentations, timely skywatching tips and open Q&amp;A sessions covering everything from planets and stars to deep-space discoveries. Dr. Horne is a physicist, astrophysicist and astronomer at Gannon with more than 35 years of experience in astronomy education and research, including work at NASA centers focused on spaceflight and astrobiology.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGo Fish!\u201d Educational Series \u2013 Second Sunday of the month | February\u2013May<\/p>\n<p>Feb. 8<\/p>\n<p>March 8<\/p>\n<p>April 12<\/p>\n<p>May 10<\/p>\n<p>Dive into the fascinating world of Lake Erie\u2019s fish species with Gannon professor Gregory Andraso, Ph.D., during \u201cGo Fish!\u201d \u2014 a hands-on learning experience in the CLEER education lab.<\/p>\n<p>Monthly topics will rotate and may include:<\/p>\n<p>Identifying local fish species<\/p>\n<p>Learning how scientists \u201ckey out\u201d fish<\/p>\n<p>Making a gyotaku fish print to take home<\/p>\n<p>Determining the age of a fish<\/p>\n<p>Dr. Andraso is a behavioral ecologist whose research includes studies of fish communities in Presque Isle Bay and Pennsylvania tributaries of Lake Erie.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Critter Corner!\u201d Series \u2013 Third Sunday of the month | February\u2013May<\/p>\n<p>Feb. 15<\/p>\n<p>March 15<\/p>\n<p>April 19<\/p>\n<p>May 17<\/p>\n<p>Get up close with the small creatures that play a big role in our ecosystem during \u201cThe Critter Corner!\u201d hosted by Gannon student and CLEER worker Anthony Sinito. This interactive series highlights insects, invertebrates and other often-overlooked species, helping participants understand their evolutionary history, behaviors and ecological importance. From crawly to curious, attendees are encouraged to leave fears at the door and discover why \u201cthe little things\u201d truly matter.<\/p>\n<p>Sinito is a master\u2019s student in Environmental Science at Gannon and an avid naturalist with research interests spanning animal behavior, evolutionary biology and taxonomy.<\/p>\n<p>About Project NePTWNE and CLEER<\/p>\n<p>Project NePTWNE is a transformational initiative focused on water quality, environmental research and community education in the Lake Erie region. The Center for Lake Erie Education and Research (CLEER) serves as a hub for hands-on learning, scientific engagement and public outreach, connecting the community to the Great Lakes through innovative programming and research-driven experiences. All programs are free and open to the public. Check back to <a href=\"http:\/\/Gannon.edu\/water\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Gannon.edu\/water<\/a> and follow Project NePTWNE on Instagram regularly for updated CLEER programming throughout the year.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As part of Project NePTWNE (Nano &amp; Polymer Technology for Water Networks of Erie), Gannon University invites the&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":70419,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[136,138,137],"class_list":{"0":"post-80622","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-erie","8":"tag-erie","9":"tag-erie-headlines","10":"tag-erie-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80622"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80622\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70419"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}