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SOAR Profile - Dana Fineman

Name: Dana Fineman 
Major/minor: Environmental Science & German Studies 
Expected date of graduation: 2015 
Hometown: Flemington, N.J. 
Activities: Member of the track team, marching band and community orchestra 
Project title: Monitoring Long-Term Ecological Restoration Efforts in the Little Lehigh Creek Watershed 
Project advisor: Frank Kuserk

While her SOAR research topic focused on Allentown’s Cedar Creek, Dana Fineman admits the process was really about investigating herself. Asked what motivated her to conduct summer research, Dana explains, “I was looking for some hands-on experience in my field to find out more about what interested me.”

Her project “Monitoring Long-Term Ecological Restoration Efforts in the Little Lehigh Creek Watershed,” did just that, providing Dana an opportunity to learn a lot about the practical applications of environmental science.

During the research, Dana and fellow students, under the direction of Biology Professor Frank Kuserk, explored the physical, chemical and biological effects of the Lake Muhlenberg Dam on the Cedar Creek. The group collectively discovered that the dam has detrimental effects on the surrounding area, compiling a report for the Wildlands Conservancy, a nonprofit organization in Emmaus, in the hopes of correcting the problem.

In preparation for pursuing graduate school, Dana plans to explore other learning opportunities, including internships, with environmental science next summer.