FMU receives grant from Duke Energy Foundation to aid in water quality student learning and research

Francis Marion University recently received a grant from Duke Energy Foundation to purchase an additional aquatic research vessel. This vessel will serve multiple purposes and provide new experiences for students.

With the addition of this research vessel, FMU faculty and students will be able to engage in immersive research opportunities including gaining large-scale experiences in water quality sampling, discharge monitoring, contour mapping, hydrological surveys, and substrate sampling.

This grant is a third in a series of grants Francis Marion has received from Duke Energy Foundation aimed at enhancing student learning in environmental studies. 

“Duke Energy Foundation has long been a strong supporter of Francis Marion University,” said FMU President Fred Carter. “This generous grant will play a pivotal role in providing additional aquatic opportunities for our students, especially those studying biology and environmental science. I am deeply appreciative of the support Duke Energy continues to provide.”

In 2019, Duke Energy Foundation also awarded a grant to FMU for the purchase of an electrofishing vessel. This vessel greatly benefits the university’s Biology and Environmental Science and Studies programs. It is used in a variety of courses including Fisheries Science and Management, Vertebrate Zoology, Ichthyology, Ecology, and Aquatic Ecology, and provides an immersive experience, not common at most universities, to students each semester. The hands-on training students obtain through their experience with this vessel also makes them in-demand in both the job market and in internships.

Outside of the classroom, undergraduate research students complete projects that would not be possible without this vessel. To date, nine undergraduate presentations at conferences and one publication have resulted from the use of the electrofishing vessel in research. These projects have included the trophic dynamic of the fish community in the Great Pee Dee River, larval fish community assessment in the Great Pee Dee River, juvenile striped bass habitat use, and the shape analysis of the longnose gar, among others.

Public outreach initiatives such as STEM Day and World Water Day, and other educational events such as pond management workshops and conferences have benefitted from the use of this vessel as well.

Prior to this most recent grant, the university was also the recipient of a grant funding another student experiential vehicle, a Winnebago, that will be used as a mobile learning lab by FMU students, particularly those in the sciences. This vehicle will enhance onsite experiences including research opportunities for students and faculty. 

Duke Energy Foundation is a long-term supporter of FMU. Its contributions through the years have helped FMU expand facilities and grow programs in physics, engineering, education, nursing, and biology.