Wrangell High School students will share what they learned about the big impact of small things when they participate in the Advancing Indigenous Science and Engineering Society (AISES) regional fair on Saturday, April 25.

Their focus was on one small thing that belongs in the environment and one that doesn’t belong.

The seven students will present their work on researching microplastics in the environment, and the medicinal properties of a lichen that grows on trees.

The fair will be held at the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau.

This is the third AISES regional fair in Juneau, and Wrangell students have been increasingly represented at all three, said their science teacher and coach Heather Howe.

“The past two years we had one poster, and this year we have three,” she said. Posters are displays summarizing the students’ research, from hypothesis to experiment to results.

This year there are two projects investigating microplastics and one exploring the antimicrobial properties and uses of Usnea lichen, commonly known as Old Man’s Beard, a green-grey lichen hanging from trees and an indication of good air quality.

The six students studying microplastics are part of a UAS program called RASOR (Rural Alaska Students in One-Health Research). One-Health refers to the connection between human health, animal health and environmental health. Two teams worked with a tribal mentor, Kim Wickman, in collecting and analyzing data for their projects.

Everett Meissner, Andrei Bardin-Siekawitch and Sawyer Rooney compared the concentration of microplastic fibers found in the 10-Mile water pipe outflow and in the harbor.

Their initial assumption, borne out in their findings, is that the presence of microplastics was higher at the 10-Mile water pipe, due to the proximity of tires rolling on the highway. Tires spin off microplastics from their friction against the road surface.

“My favorite part about this project was just learning more about the microplastics. I never really knew about them before this class and I think it’s interesting how they get into our environment,” Meissner said.

Microplastics are tiny particles smaller than 0.2 inches in length that enter the environment from the breakdown of larger plastic items, and are found in the water, air and human and animal tissue.

The second team, Alana Harrison, Sophia Martinsen and Braden Howard, also compared the presence of microplastics in contrasting environments. They took samples from Pats Lake and the town’s drinking water reservoir. Their proposition was that there would be a greater concentration of microplastics in Pats Lake.

Pats Lake is used for a wide range of activities, meaning microplastics from clothing fibers, recreational equipment, fishing gear and trash would likely be present.

Collecting, filtering and analyzing the water samples proved their assumption true.

In reality, however, both teams found microplastics in every sample they collected.

“This was a great opportunity to gain real college experience and learn more about microplastics,” Martinsen said.

“The long-term effects of microplastics on human and animal health are still not well understood,” the students said in the presentation accompanying their work.

Madelyn Davies heard of the medicinal properties of Usnea lichen from Alaska Natives and was interested in studying this more deeply. Her research project found that using Usnea limited the growth of bacteria, affirming its use as a remedy for respiratory ailments and to treat wounds.

“I’m most excited to share about Usnea because it is kind of an unassuming plant that gets looked over but is actually a plant that has a lot of strong, helpful properties,” she said.

“In the summer, I lead local nature hikes. In doing so, I work with hundreds of tourists, as well as cruise ship guides and local guides. I plan on sharing my knowledge while doing these hikes. This project has also inspired me to continue studying microbiology and medicinal plants.”

The AISES fair welcomes projects that find those kinds of intersections with Indigenous knowledge and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) by high school students in Southeast Alaska.

“We want to celebrate students in Native communities who are engaging in authentic collaborations with tribal communities and highlight Indigenous knowledge,” said Lauren Smythe, a STEAM specialist with the Sealaska Heritage Institute.