Fairfield University associate professor of biology Jen Klug, Ph.D., was selected by CT Campus Compact (CTCC) to receive its 2014 Faculty Engaged Scholarship Award for her community-engaged research with Friends of the Lake. Dr. Klug, a resident of Newtown, Conn., was presented the award on Wednesday, June 4, 2014, at CTCC's 2nd Annual Awards Breakfast at The Hartford Club. The CTCC's Faculty Engaged Scholarship Award is presented to one faculty member whose scholarship, expressed in teaching, research, and/or service, reflects the highest degree of ethics and effectiveness, and responds significantly to the need for knowledge-sharing between academic disciplines and the public.

"Dr. Klug has demonstrated deep respect for her partners in Friends of the Lake - in the language that she so intentionally uses to communicate the reciprocity of the work and in her practice of collaborative development and implementation," said Fairfield University President, Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J., in presenting the award. "As a teacher, Dr. Klug has utilized her partnership with Friends of the Lake to impact student learning. She has integrated community engagement into courses, internships, capstone projects, and honor theses."

For nearly a decade, Dr. Klug has overseen a water-quality monitoring program on Lake Lillinonah, the state's second largest lake, in collaboration with Friends of the Lake (FOTL) community volunteers and Fairfield University students. Dr. Klug's relationship with FOTL began when members reached out to her for assistance in addressing algae bloom growth on "Lake Lilli." She worked with FOTL to develop a citizen-science driven program to monitor the water quality on the lake. In 2010, Lillinonah was added as a site in the Global Lakes Ecological Observatory Network, an organization dedicated to understanding, predicting and communicating the role and response of lakes in a changing global environment. Over time, the analysis of the water quality data grew to become the central focus of Dr. Klug's scholarship. More recently, the work of the partnership has extended into Dr. Klug's teaching as she has engaged students through courses, internships and research. Dr. Klug has published numerous articles and reports on this work in partnership with students and community members. Dr. Klug joined the Fairfield faculty in 2001 and teaches courses in general biology, freshwater ecology and environmental science. She is a member of the Ecological Society of America, the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography, and the Global Lakes Ecological Observatory Network. Dr. Klug earned a B.S. in geology from Indiana University and completed her M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where she studied algae in northern Wisconsin lakes.

CTCC, the single most representative coalition of colleges and universities in Connecticut, is focused on promoting civic development and community engagement. CTCC is a state affiliate of Campus Compact, a national coalition of more than 1,100 college and university presidents who are committed to fulfilling the public purpose of higher education. Dedicated solely to campus-based civic engagement, Campus Compact promotes public and community service that develops students' citizenship skills, helps campuses forge effective community partnerships, and provides resources and training for faculty seeking to integrate civic and community-based learning into the curriculum.

Pictured (L-R): Matthew Farley, Executive Director, CTCC; Fairfield University's Jen Klug, Ph.D., CTCC's 2014 Faculty Engaged Scholarship Award winner; Fairfield University President, Rev. Jeffrey von Arx, S.J.

Posted On: 06-09-2014 03:06 PM

Volume: 46 Number: 319