Field Notes

The Lilly Center for Lakes & Streams is thrilled to welcome Annalieze Crawford to the team. In her role as Research Lab Coordinator, Crawford will ensure quality data collection, oversee lab procedures, and lead algae counting efforts.

“Anna excelled as a Lilly Center college student intern for years and demonstrated a pursuit of excellence in her work and support of her team,” said Dr. Nate Bosch, Creighton Brothers Endowed Director of the Lilly Center. “Her deep knowledge of algae identification and quantification along with her ability to learn new processes will make the Lilly Center’s research more effective in service to our community.”

Crawford invested four years at Grace College, first as an algae team assistant and later as algae team lead. Through her work in this position, she developed a knowledge of phycology – the study of algae – and worked closely with Dr. Joe Frentzel, Grace College professor and phycologist.

In her new role as Research Lab Coordinator, the scope of Crawford’s responsibilities expands to include overseeing the algae toxin and E. coli teams.

The Indiana Department of Health certified the Lilly Center’s lab to test for E. coli during the fall of 2024.

Crawford will also support the assistant director of research to ensure that data collection and reporting are accurate. Collecting high-quality data from Kosciusko County’s lake and streams gives the Lilly Center a better understanding of what is going on beneath the surface, leading to practical applications for the Lilly Center’s research.

“I am excited to take this next step in my career and continue building my experience at the Lilly Center,” said Crawford. “The beauty and diversity of algae species hooked me early on. Now, I can mentor the next generation of college students as they expand their skill sets through lab techniques and research.”

Since 2007, the Lilly Center’s lab has made contributions to local and national research studies and provided recommendations for best practices to steward freshwater lakes and streams. Studies conducted by the Lilly Center’s lab and research teams include studies on economic impacts, zebra mussels, E. coli at local beaches, boating, public sewers, and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) patterns and predictions.

Through the addition of the Research Lab Coordinator position, the Lilly Center continues its commitment to transparent data that is available to its partners and the public. The data collected in the lab supports yearly research publications like Beneath the Surface, live data on the Lilly Center’s website from 16 stream sensors, and weekly summer algae toxin notifications.