Lakeside Lab
Owned by the state of Iowa and operated through the Board of Regents, we seek to provide science classes and research opportunities for university students, and offer Outreach Programs and provide services through the state universities.
What's Happening at the Lab
Lakeside Laboratory offers experiential learning at its finest! Any student preparing for a career in the sciences will find high quality field-based experiences that will give your resume an edge. All students; artists, business majors, pre-service teachers and more, will engage in valuable learning that will take you to the next level. Join us for a summer of learning beyond the classroom. At Lakeside Lab, we are helping you build career ready skills!
Miller's Bay Conservancy and Lakeside Lab are teaming up to offer the 2nd annual Ecotourism Day. Events featured include Kayak Lessons, Try Standup Paddle Board (SUP), Nature Tours of Little Miller's Bay, and Scuba basics.
REGISTRATION: Lakeside Lab Dining Hall (1838 Highway 86, Milford, IA 51351)
SUP Morning only: 10, 10:30, 11, 11:30, Noon (30 Min) Location - Lakeshore Center Camp Beach
Kayaking Lessons Afternoon only: 1:00, 2:00, 3:00pm Location: Lakeshore Center Camp Beach
Scuba 10:30am, Noon, 1:30pm (60 min sessions) Location: Lakeside Lab Canoe Dock
Guided Nature Tours Afternoon only: 2:30pm, 4:30pm Location: Lakeside Lab Canoe Dock
Prairie Lakes Conference 2022 Registration now open! Choose which sessions to attend and pay per session...
The Prairie Lakes conference will be held August 11, 12 and 13th. Registration can be found at: PLC_Registration_Link
The Agenda At A Glance:
Thurs August 11th AM FIELD TOUR Francis Sites & Lunch (This session is free, but please register to reserve a lunch)
Thursday August 11th PM Presentations (Arnolds Park Majestic Pavilion) $50
Friday August 12th AM FIELD TOUR Angler's Bay FREE
Friday August 12th PM LUNCH , Field Trip by the Queen -- Lake History, Water Quality and More $60
Saturday August 13th 8:30 AM Dr. Jim Pease (Blue Water Festival -- Under the Big Tent) FREE
Our Summer Tuesday Speaker Series is finished for 2022. Watch for announcements for Science on the Menu starting soon!
This week we feature Nature Crafts! Bring your creativity and artistic side to Wild Wednesday!!
Summer Camps 2022 Iowa Lakeside Lab's Summer Camps for 2022 open for registration. Click here for registration. Questions? Call Ashley Hansen at 712-337-3669 ext 7 or Mary Skopec at 712-337-3669 ext 5.
Scholarships are also available. Click here to apply. Join our mailing list for updates!
Students are able to access all the information they need through the MyLakeside Portal. Registration, Enrollment Status, Scholarships, Tuition and Billing and more!
Welcome back! We welcome you to in-person courses at Iowa Lakeside Laboratory for the summer of 2022 while continuing to offer some online and hybrid options. Please check the Summer 2022 class list for information on specific classes.
Iowa Lakeside Lab is proud to host the 2022 Okoboji Writers Retreat September 19-21, 2022. During 2.5 days, attendees can choose from over 30 small group sessions, ranging from hands-on workshops to panel sessions on memoir, storytelling, fiction, non-fiction, and the business side of publishing.
Meetings are being held by Zoom. For more information, please contact Mary Skopec at mary-skopec@uiowa.edu
The Friends of Lakeside Lab was founded in 1994 to support Iowa Lakeside Laboratory and Regents Resource Center through scholarships and as a community resource for water quality monitoring, environmental education and research. The Friends is a tax-exempt, 501c3 non-profit organization.
The goal of CLAMP is to provide long term monitoring data on regional lake conditions and educate local citizens about lake ecology. Click here to see CLAMP videos!
The Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network conducts innovative science by sharing and interpreting water quality and weather data on West Okoboji and Big Spirit Lake
In its partnership with the State Hygenic Lab, we provide water testing services, and educate citizens on how to better care for our natural lakes.
Lakeside Lab offers many opportunities for experiential learning. We will work with you in developing a program that is appropriate for your school. Contact our Education Coordinator Ashley (Hansen) Scheve at 712-337-3669 ext.7 or ashley-scheve@uiowa.edu.
Lakeside is committed to empowering citizens to engage with science.
During the school closures, there are lots of great options for learning. Check out:
NEW** All About Bald Eagles (submitted by our friends Stacey and the Lyndhurst STEMettes) https://wizardpins.com/blogs/education/all-about-bald-eagles
PBS Learning Media: A variety of topics and age levels https://iowa.pbslearningmedia.org/
Iowa Outdoors: http://www.iowapbs.org/iowaoutdoors
University of Northern Iowa On-Line Lesson Plans.
Discovery Education: Take a virtual field trip
Pinterest and Iowa STEM activities
Discover birds in your backyard from tools at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Watch Birds Nesting Cameras
Iowa Ornithologists' Union of the birds of Iowa checklist
Lakeside Lab features a variety of classes that offer hand's on learning. Alex Braidwood's Acoustic Ecology class was featured on Iowa Outdoors.
Events
Recent News
Iowa Lakeside Laboratory is honored to be one of the groups honored as part of the Six Pillars of Character Award for the Iowa Great Lakes.
Lakeside Reads is a book club focused on nature or science topics. We meet the 4th Thursday of the month at 11:00 (April - Oct). Come for the conversation, beautiful view and snacks! Call Mary at 712-337-3669 ext 5 for more information.
Community Pages
June 1 – October 1
This self-guided nature exploration and tour of Lakeside grounds is perfect for children, families, and “kids at heart” of any age. Pick up a treasure map at Lakeside entrance and go exploring for hidden clues and secret messages.
COFFEE AND GROUNDS
Work hard and learn about native ecosystems while restoring prairie and oak savanna at Lakeside. Then relax and make friends over coffee and rolls. Meet at the Waitt Lab at 8:30 am each Tuesday during snow-free months.
VOLUNTEER FOR WATER QUALITY!
The Cooperative Lakes Area Monitoring Project is looking for volunteers to monitor lake health. Free training and equipment provided. Contact 712-337-3669 Ext. 7 for information.