When hands-on learning leaves you waist-deep in the Hudson🌊🧪 The students in Dr. Ramesh Laungani’s environmental methods class recently spent an afternoon at Norrie Point examining the impact of the introduced plant species Trapa natans (#waterchestnut) on water quality and the Hudson River ecosystem. They collected data on oxygen levels, fish biodiversity, water pH, and water temperature, along with other measures of water quality, comparing areas where the plant was dominating to portions that haven’t been invaded. Dr. Ramesh explained that understanding the impacts of introduced species on the Hudson is critical to develop management plans for the river and all who depend on it: “The best part is that Marist students are contributing to that larger understanding by collecting data about a real-world challenge.”