CLEVELAND — Scientists and engineers are tracking an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) in Lake Erie as part of a research project to better understand the lake's ecosystems.
Members from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, along with fisheries ecologist Steve Ruberg, are part of the project.
Argonaut, which operates the Davis Aerospace and Maritime High School with CMSD, was asked to assist, too. Several of its students suited up for the hands-on learning experience.
Lake Erie is where people play, but Capt. Drew Ferguson, founder and CEO of Argonaut, said it’s also where important work happens both on land and beneath the surface.
“Freshwater is such a valuable resource. We've got the resources. We've got the interest. Cleveland's got the can-do attitude,” Ferguson said.
I learned about the AUV from a Facebook post from Share the River. The nonprofit focuses on education and recreation along the Cuyahoga River and Lake Erie. Its founder, Jim Ridge, is following the progress and connected me to Ferguson.
Ferguson said this kind of learning is a game-changer for young people pursuing careers in the aerospace and maritime industries.
“They're also actively involved in the problem solving because nothing on the water ever goes without some challenge during the excursion,” Ferguson said. “So, it's really neat. And again, it's building on that adventure."
The AUV’s mission is to travel beneath the ice. It has various sensors and instruments to collect different types of data to help scientists better understand lake ecosystems, as well as the behavior and health of aquatic life, everything from plankton to fish.
The data collected will provide a baseline for future studies.
Ferguson said when he hears people talking about lake access, this type of work is what fires him up, because it’s something students can utilize for a lifetime.
“When you have a student that is able to engage and be a part of developing solutions and innovation that is being appreciated and extending globally- that's access,” Ferguson said.
He added that while the invitation to take part in the AUV project came as a surprise, Argonaut and its students are always ready to jump in and keep learning.
“It’s just like any other adventure at sea. Something comes across the horizon, and we react, and we respond, and we find ourselves engaged in another great adventure,” Ferguson said.
You can track the AUV online. It’s expected to be in the lake for a few more days.
Damon Maloney is a Cuyahoga County and We Follow Through anchor at News 5 Cleveland. Follow him on X @DMaloneyTV, on Facebook DamonMaloneyTV or email him at Damon.Maloney@wews.com.
