xi look at a map you realize the Fox River is not just important to Aurora but quite a few towns over a 200-mile stretch in two different states. As a STEM school, you might think we are curious about the ecology of the river and how that has changed over time due to climate change and the influence of neighboring industries. That’s true, however there’s so much more to the study of a river – the history of the people who migrated around it, the culture that developed, and the challenges and innovations that were developed as a result of their circumstances. What a great opportunity for a course uniquely equipped for IMSA, the History of the Environment, to investigate further the many facets of the life of a river and its surroundings. It signals that the study of science is influenced by history, and society can influence the future of science. It also helps us understand that each day, when we cross bridges in our hometown, there are important stories behind the rivers that have shaped the community in which we live. I’m grateful our students have investigated and shared some of these stories as part of their learning discoveries, and hope the next edition involves additional perspectives and towns along that 200-mile stretch of the Fox River. Dr. Evan Glazer President & CEO of Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy Figure 2 Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy is located in the Fox River Watershed, two miles due west of the river itself. Source: Google Maps
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