iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Welcoming the start of ‘Oak’tober with all 5 sections of AP env. science students collecting tree inventory data of our oak, honeysuckle, & maple trees around campus 🍂🍁🍃

A collage of two photos, capturing AP environmental science students, participating in tree inventory data of campus, oak, maple, and honeysuckle trees

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Chicago youth, educators, environmental orgs, This is a wonderful city-wide youth-focused funding opportunity to check out & apply 🌎✨

A photo of a flyer presenting the Chicago Youth Climate Action Fund opportunity

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

2 hours of native seed collecting organized by Iza from the Forest Preserves of Cook County. The perfect fall restoration activity to start the weekend 🌾🍂

A photo of us clipping native plants for native seed collecting event organized by the forest preserves of Cook County

A photo of all the bags filled with native seeds from seed collecting event

A group photo of the seed collecting team

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

A huge shoutout to our students spending the entire class outdoors in the steady rain & muddy conditions, carefully cutting down buckthorn & planting native perennial species plugs from IL’s largest native plant nursery today 🪏🌱 Climate action & conservation work is healing 🌎✨

Two photos stitched together, top and bottom, capturing students planting native perennial plant plugs while wearing rain ponchos and garden gloves

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Hello Day Moon 🌕 Feat. Chicago pigeons ✨

Photo of a moon, taking in Chicago with a pigeon mid flight right under the moon and a bunch of pigeons resting on top of a roof

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Pond Dipping at South Holland today with wonderful Sand Ridge Nature Center staff 🐟💚 So much biodiversity ✨

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Day 25 update of 30 flower plant plugs growing via hydroponics. Happy Friday ☀️

A photo of hydroponic system with 30 flowering plants growing. View from day 25

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Breakfast with the legends from millions of years ago 🦕

A photo of Stanley Field Hall ceiling at the Field Museum

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Day 18 of growing 30 edible flowering plants via a hydroponics system 🌱✨

Photo of plant growth at Day 18 via the hydroponics system

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

Secured that metal 🏅 25th Chicago Bike the Drive 30-mile challenge: completed 🌎🚴🏻‍♀️✨

A selfie taken prior to start of Bike the Drive

A view from STRAVA of my 30 mile challenge completed

A medal for completing 30 miles biking Chicago’s Bike the Drive

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

I love our city. No other city compares. Imagining a world where Bike the Drive happens once a month 🌎✨ Thank you, @activetransportation.org, for another beautiful citywide ride. #BiketheDrive26 #ChicagoBikeGridNow

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Our favorite kind of shopping: native plant shopping

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Highlights from the first two weeks of 5 sections of AP Environmental Science include our first field visit, birding along the Chicago River together, 3 out of 5 classes spotting a blue heron, & witnessing the growth of 30 edible flowering plants 🥾🦆🌱

Students birding for the first time together

A view of the hydroponic system - Day 11

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Officially starting year 10 of teaching! So grateful to have reached a decade milestone of teaching what I love. I’m excited to meet with five sections of AP Environmental Science students. Happy 1st day to all educators! 🌎🍎✨

First day of school selfie - year 10 of teaching 5 sections of AP environmental science

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

We just spotted our first Chicago bat while taking out the recyclables! + lovely to hear our neighbor say “that means less mosquitos for us!” 🦇✨

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

It's during the peak festival and air and water show weekends that I feel so grateful for taking the CTA A fraction of the price for parking or the sudden surcharge prices for ride share options This is why we always need to support fully funded public transportation.

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Photo taken on this day, 8 years ago ✨ So much gratitude for the wonderful colleagues who led this project, recruited so many of us volunteers, to help transform the north side of the Field Museum Always a treat passing by this side of the museum campus and saying, “We did this together!”

A throwback photo from 8 years of myself volunteering to help plant native plants on the north side of the Field Museum campus for the first time. Caption reads from August 16, 2018: Planting native plants below, air & water show practice above

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Honored & grateful to learn from incredible scientists & science educators 🚢✨⚓️ Field experience is everything. Why I love the discipline and our science community working together to protect people & our planet

education.uic.edu

PhD Student Ayesha Qazi-Lampert Conducts Great Lakes Research Aboard EPA’s Largest Research Vessel | College of Education | University of Illinois Chicago

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

Reflecting & feeling grateful for the past month’s once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join a science community in practice, be part of a Great Lakes research team, & learn to use equipment on EPA's Lake Guardian vessel on the stunning Lake Superior - an expedition I will cherish 🚢✨ 📸: S. Northey

A photo of myself looking at the stunning colors of the sunset of Lake Superior while standing on the O2 Deck
of EPA’s largest research vessel, the Lake Guardian

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Day 7: We returned to Duluth, where each team presented their findings on diporeia, mysis, larval fish, zooplankton, photochemistry, and light effects of light. It was a celebratory moment to showcase our science discoveries after a long Lake Superior journey 🚢✨. Group 📸 A. Shie Lab 📸 L. Wegehaupt

A group photo of the Shipboard Science Immersion expedition standing in front of EPA’s largest research vessel The Lake Guardian. Everyone is holding their custom flag

A photo of a massive zooplankton net being deployed in Lake Superior

A photo of myself, Dana, and Dr. Tom Hrabik in the biology lab of the EPA Lake Guardian research vessel analyzing the samples we collected that day

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Vervain 🪻 Tonight’s golden hour from Northerly Island ✨

View of vervain up front with a bike right behind and Chicago skyline in the background during golden hour

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Experiencing the stunning view of The Sleeping Giant on the Isle Royale Transect during the morning of Day 6 was incredible. Sampling at the IR-01 site included Tucker Trawl, Rosette, Zooplankton Net, and Ponar on the Lake Guardian - EPA’s largest research vessel 🚢✨ #LakeGuardian #ShipboardScience

View of EPA R/V Lake Guardian by The Sleeping Giant

View of our team reporting on our morning shift for sampling

View of the team ready to sample at Isle Royale Transect

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Chicago school campus trees field guide process 🌳

A photo of the field guide formation process, with pages laid out and leaf specimens placed on the lab table

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

The perfect Chicago weather to create campus tree field guides with summer students 🌳🍁🍃

Photo of an oak leaf and other tree leaves in a collection envelope for tree guide

A leaf on top of a scan of tree leaves collected today

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 19/07/2026

On Day 5 evening on the Isle Royale transect, we collected samples from the Rosette, Zooplankton Net, Mysis Net, and Tucker Trawl from 11:05 pm to 1:30 am. As part of the larval fish & zooplankton team, we took samples to the research vessel's lab for analysis and to search for larval caregonines 🚢✨

A photo of the Tucker trawl being deployed

Analyzing Tucker Trawl samples for larval cisco

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

We all got back to Duluth, MN a day before the fires started to take off. Heart is feeling heavy thinking about everyone here, families, wildlife, Native communities on the frontline

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

On Day 4 of the R/V Lake Guardian's IR-03 sampling site, we got to see the multicorer in action! This tool simultaneously collects multiple sediment and water samples from the lake bed. #LakeGuardian #ShipboardScience #LSSSI26

A photo of a multicorer being set up at sampling site near Isle Royale. A thick fog blends the water and sky. The hazy sun creates a scenic view on Lake Superior

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

To see with our eyes the band of our neighboring galaxies arcing across the night sky above, along with the dark golden glow & reflection of the waning crescent moon, is a memory I will forever cherish on the R/V Lake Guardian 🪐✨

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

Day 3 at DU-03, I used the rosette for the first time and my favorite tool, the secchi disk. The highlight was participating in collecting legacy Secchi depth data of Lake Superior to measure water clarity, signing off our initials on the data sheet was pretty cool. #LakeGuardian #ShipboardScience

A photo of my first time working with the rosette. My hands are on the outside bar guiding and supporting deployment

A photo of me pulling up the secchi disk from Lake Superior

A picture of a rosette about to enter Lake Superior

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Reposted by Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert

¡matt! ✶✶✶✶ @mattfromchicago.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Great Lakes Forever

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Good morning ☀️ Views from the research vessel above the stunning depths of Lake Superior! So grateful

A selfie taken on sunset on Lake Guardian on Lake Superior

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

On Day 2 aboard EPA’s largest research vessel, the Lake Guardian, we collected both morning & evening samples of Lake Superior. Using a tucker trawler, we explored sediment, benthic invertebrates, and amphipods as a team. The difference in sampling results based on time of day was eye-opening 🚢💙

A selfie using red light during night sampling

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

We're officially on this voyage! 🚢✨ Day 1 on EPA’s largest research vessel, the Lake Guardian, kicked off with evening sampling using the rosette+ to gather vital data on Lake Superior’s temperature, dissolved oxygen, beam attenuation, fluorescence, depth, conductivity, PAR, & SUNA nitrate levels

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Check out my new home, Lake Guardian, the EPA’s largest research fleet, for the next week on Lake Superior Truly an honor to join this research expedition alongside incredible scientists across the national EPA & universities, educators, & crew supporting water quality research. Water is life 💙🚢🩵

A selfie with the EPA’s largest research fleet, Lake Guardian, on Lake Superior

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Our summer program was beautifully covered by Corli Jay in the Chicago Reader! Check it out 🌎✨

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

An honor on this Blue Moon to join as a water walker from 6:30am to 5pm to walking alongside the Chicago River with women and femme water protectors. We saw so much wildlife, including blue jays, fawns, black-crowned night herons, grackles, cooper hawk, red-tailed hawk - just to name a few 🩵🌕

A photo of a deer standing across the river looking at us passing by

View of the Chicago River on the north branch trail

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

Happy tears for the last 3 days. An honor to teach thoughtful & caring 117 AP Environmental Science seniors this year. Excited to see them continue protecting people & our planet 🌎✨

A photo of a box of chocolate and thank you note from a thoughtful students + a view of my desk behind both items

An incredible hand-drawn poster made by my thoughtful student capturing all us together by a tree.

A beautiful digital sketch of a green field and sky by a student

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 11/05/2026

Meet my lunch buddy, the campus kestrel 🦅✨ This little Chicago raptor announces itself everyday at lunch - super proud of its meal [warning: animal blood]

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Facetiming my parents to see their reaction about Chicago’s 1st bald eagle nest sighting in over a century ✨ My baba loves birds. And I'm grateful to live in an era where it's accessible and quick to watch a video together through screen sharing and enjoy local Chicago nature news 💚

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

Fighting for life on a livable planet means protecting people and our planet. On May Day, I want to honor all workers and communities on the front lines helping secure better, healthier working conditions. Whether it's safer, healthier classrooms or making sure we have no lead in our water. 🌎✊🏽🍎

A sign that says “Protect our People, Protect our Planet” with the caption: Fighting for life on a livable planet means protecting people and our planet. On May Day, I want to honor all workers and communities on the front lines helping secure better, healthier working conditions. Whether it's safer, healthier classrooms or making sure we have no lead in our water. It will take all of our efforts to protect the health of the living 🌎✊🏽🍎

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

Views from the desk. Our campus Kestrel 🪽

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

The perfect weather to spend half the day on a flower & food farm in Kankakee 👩🏻‍🌾 Hundreds of species together on 10 acres, hugging Black Oak Savannah ecosystem. Beautiful to see the thoughtful intercropping process 🌳✨

A photo of a flower and fruit farm in Kankakee County, IL

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 25/04/2026

Bike bus tracker is now live! bikebustracker.net/bikegridnow This is to check to see when our bike Marshalls will be leading the bike bus to Douglas Park near you 🌎🚲💫

bikebustracker.net

Bike Bus Tracker

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

And wrapping up Earth Day at school with a prairie litter pick-up! Shoutout to our incredible green team students leading both morning & after-school student Earth Day programming 🌎💚✊🏽

A photo of green team and AP environmental science students picking up litter outside by the prairie on Earth Day

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

We had over 20 students outside our school at 7am, ready to do Earth Day chalk art. So grateful to see many joining us this morning for collective art action & our green team students leading the way 💫 Happy Earth Day 🌎✨

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Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 21/04/2026

Earth Day Prep 🌎 Wishing everyone organizing, hosting, facilitating any Earth week activity much love & support 💚

A photo of custom Earth Day badges being made by students the day before Earth Day 2026 🌎✨

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Reposted by Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert

Ayesha T Qazi-Lampert @ayeshaqazilampert.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

Sharing a wonderful paid opportunity for students and teachers in Chicago interested in an immersive two week program learning about climate & environmental justice 🌳

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