Stroud Water Research Center wants to engage public in discussion 

A free lecture series by leading freshwater scientists and educators will kick off Wednesday at the Stroud Meetinghouse in Avondale.

Hosted by the Stroud Water Research Center, the program will debut with William H. Eldridge, who will present “Stream Fish Research and Conservation in the 21st Century:  New Tools for New Challenges.” Eldridge, an assistant research scientist in Fish Molecular Ecology, will focus on the importance of maintaining healthy fish populations.

The series is designed to address global, national, and local issues related to water, one of Earth’s most precious commodities. And while water is renewable, it’s also finite, so the Stroud Research Center is exploring topics that will engage the public in discussions about tackling water-related challenges.

More upcoming lectures include “Planting Trees for Sustaining Clean Fresh Water,” led by Center Director Bernard W. Sweeney, on Wednesday, April 1; and “Microbial Fuel Cell Technology: Generating Power Directly by Microorganisms,” by microbiologist Jinjun Kan Wednesday, May 15.

All lectures are open to the public and are appropriate for ages 12 and older. Doors open at 6 p.m. for a free wine and cheese reception and a tour of the Stroud center’s new green building, the Moorhead Environmental Complex; lectures start promptly at 7 p.m.

The Stroud Water Research Center is located at 970 Spencer Road, Avondale, 19311. For more information, visit www.stroudcenter.org/events.