COSEE Great Lakes recently completed another successful online workshop—“Great Lakes Alive!”—in which scientists and educators were brought together to exchange information about the biological aspects of the Great Lakes.

The workshop—held in February—is the third in a series of workshops started in 2006. Among its components are streaming video presentations from university scientists and educational resources pertaining to the topics discussed.

“These workshops are a great opportunity for educators to converse with scientists, collect exemplary teaching resources, share varied experiences, and expand their understanding and knowledge of Great Lakes science,” said IISG education specialist Terri Hallesy.

Over 155 people participated in this year’s workshop and 26 received graduate credit for their participation.

“The lessons have been extremely popular with students and teachers,” said participant Wendy Lutzke, who used resources from the workshop in her own classroom. “I highly recommend the ESCAPE lessons.”

“It is amazing how many people were able to benefit from this online workshop,” said participant Corista Nichols.

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Join the 2026 Great Lakes BioBlitz! 🌎🦋📸Starting Earth Day, educators, students, youth groups, and families are invited to help document biodiversity across the Great Lakes region using iNaturalist. A kick-off webinar is scheduled for April 16th at 2 pm CT.Participate anytime during the four‑week event. Snap photos, make observations, and contribute to real conservation data while getting students outside and engaged with nature. Learn more and get ready to explore: https://sites.google.com/wisc.edu/annual-great-lakes-bioblitz/2026 #TeachingTuesday#GreatLakes
Don’t miss out! Join us for a deep dive into the latest Lake Michigan fisheries science.Topics will include:-Reef restoration impacts on aquatic and fish species-Wild reproduction rates for salmon and trout species from the Great Lakes Mass Marking Program-Fisheries update from the Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesLearn more & register: https://purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_86eBlPnbjdm7pPg