WLI hosts Science Quencher event featuring local scientists

Whitefish Lake Institute is hosting a Science Quencher event on Friday, April 15 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Lodge at Whitefish Lake’s Stumptown Room. The lightning round talks will be from local science experts.

Complimentary beer, wine and appetizers will be served as well.

RSVP to Cynthia Ingelfinger at cynthia@whitefishlake.org.

The local scientists speaking include biologist Jami Belt, wilderness GIS contractor Jillian McKenna, fisheries biologist Leo Rosenthal and wildlife biologist Douglas Chadwick.

Jami Belt is the program manager for Glacier's Citizen Science Program. Belt started working at the Crown of the Continent Research Learning Center (CCRLC) in 2005. After leaving for a biologist position at Klondike Goldrush National Historical Park in 2015, she returned to the CCRLC in 2018 to manage the citizen science program.

Jillian McKenna is a wilderness student intern at Glacier National Park acting as the wilderness program’s data steward. Her goal in this position is to create more efficient data collection protocols and data management strategies to aid in wilderness character monitoring. She has a background in geology and GIS with a Bachelor of Science in earth sciences from Dalhousie University. She is currently enrolled in an online graduate certificate program for wilderness management at the University of Montana.

Leo Rosenthal has been a Fisheries Management Biologist for FWP since 2007. His management area is the South and Middle Forks of the Flathead River and the Swan River drainages. He has been working in the fisheries field for 24 years and has worked for academics, private industry, and state government all over the state of Montana. His undergraduate degree is in biology from the University of Montana in 1997, and he then received a Master’s in Fish and Wildlife Management from Montana State University in 2007. Though Rosenthal attended both Montana universities, he says he will always cheer for the Grizzlies.

Doug Chadwick has carried out research on mountain goat ecology and social behavior atop the Rockies for years, and has assisted other scientists studying harlequin ducks, wolverines, grizzly bears, and whales. He is also a natural history journalist who has produced 15 popular books and hundreds of magazine stories including many features in National Geographic.

The event is hosted by Whitefish Lake Institute. For more information visit www.whitefishlake.org