Description

The AIS Detectors Core Course is an introduction to aquatic invasive species (AIS) science, identification, and surveillance. You will learn how to identify and report invasive species, best practices for preventing the spread of AIS, relevant rules and regulations, and how to search for AIS on your own.

This course consists of two portions: a self-paced online course and a live workshop with the instructors. The self-paced online course takes approximately 8 hours to complete, followed by either a one day in-person workshop or two 3-hour virtual workshops. The self-paced online course will open on Monday, April 3rd 2023. You will select which workshop(s) you will be attending during registration. The workshop options are:
-Minneapolis - May 5th; 9am-5pm
-Wayzata - May 12th; 9am-5pm
-Park Rapids - June 2nd; 9:30am-5:30pm
-All Virtual: May 16th AND May 17th; 1-4pm

The self-paced online content must be completed prior to the start of the live workshops. You must complete both workshop sessions in order to receive credit for the course and become a Certified AIS Detector. The course has two tracks: Community Member and Professional. The Community Member track is for those who are planning to volunteer as AIS Detectors and/or who are not conducting AIS activities professionally. The Professional track is for those who wish to increase their knowledge base for work-related activities. Please select the appropriate track when you register, as they involve some differences in course content. Note that the Professional track is only available for the Park Rapids and All Virtual workshops this year.

Your registration fee includes unlimited access to the self-paced online course, access to the live workshop(s) of your choosing, a copy of the new edition of our AIS identification field guide, and networking opportunities with other AIS Detectors and experts. Registration for the Minneapolis and Wayzata options are available at no cost to you this year thanks to a sponsorship from Hennepin County Environment & Energy. If the registration fee for the other workshops presents a barrier to your ability to participate in the AIS Detectors Core Course as a Community Member, please visit our scholarship page to learn more about scholarship opportunities.

To learn more about the program, review FAQs, and find scholarship opportunities visit www.aisdetectors.org.

To register for the course, click a green "Available" button on the right side of your screen to expand the section details. Verify that you are viewing the section with the workshop dates and track (Community Member or Professional, where applicable) that you are interested in. Only the first date of the workshop session pair appears in the tan box for the All Virtual option. Please confirm both dates for the virtual workshop sessions once you expand that section to view additional details. Then, click the "Add to Cart" button to register for that combination of track and live workshop dates.

You will need a tablet, laptop or desktop computer, or smart phone with a good internet connection to access all course materials. The experience will be best on a larger screen, so a laptop or desktop computer are strongly recommended. If you are registering for an All Virtual option, you will need to have a working microphone and camera to connect to the live workshops. Technical skills required for the All Virtual option include: ability to access Zoom (including breakout rooms), ability to create a University guest account and access Canvas online course, ability to mute and unmute yourself in Zoom meetings, ability to watch videos, and ability to open and view multiple windows simultaneously. We will offer a Tech Check before workshops begin to make sure that you are ready to learn on the day of your first virtual workshop.

Course Contact

Megan Weber, 763-767-3874, mmweber@umn.edu

Registration questions

Extension Registration, ext-reg@umn.edu

If you experience difficulties logging in

Contact the University of Minnesota IT Help Line at 612-301-4357. Please mention you are using a guest account.