We are a unique freshwater facility in Canada now digitising data we have collected over 50 years. Ask us anything, Reddit.

THIS CHAT HAS NOW CONCLUDED, BUT YOU CAN READ ALL THE ANSWERS HERE

For over 50 years we have been collecting data on the biology and chemistry of our lakes on floppy disks, yellow waterproof notepads, and even the backs of manila envelopes.

These data have helped us understand everything from the impact of climate change on fresh water to what causes algal blooms and what happens when oil spills into a lake—and have informed protections for fresh water around the world.

Now we are hard at work digitizing those data collected in all those different formats over 50 years, so we can use digital technologies to protect lakes in Canada, the United States, and around the world.

These data will be more open, fair, available, and accessible so they can be used by new audiences to make new discoveries. They will help predict the changes of climate and new contaminants and ensure everyone has access to clean drinking water and healthy fish.

But it has been an intense process, and we have learned A LOT along the way.

Geoffrey Gunn, Scott Higgins, Michael Paterson, Jason Venkiteswaran, are in the thick of the process and want to share what they have learned with you.

So, on the afternoon of Friday, February 26, 2021, we are taking to Reddit to encourage anyone in a similar situation, planning on embarking on a similar project, or just plain interested in data, to Ask Us Anything.

Go on and ask us anything.

We dare you…

You can learn more about how and why we are digitizing our data here.