New IISG research projects will address coastal concerns and recruit young scientists

Posted April 28th, 2022 in Featured, Sea Grant Scholars, Uncategorized

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) will award $892,000 to 14 research projects in 2022. Five projects are already underway and will inform decision making for some of the region’s pressing coastal issues, including protecting shorelines, improving aquaculture, and preventing drownings. Several projects will recruit youth to engage in research, opening up opportunities and potentially inspiring tomorrow’s scientists.

This summer, nine more projects will form the latest cohort of the IISG Faculty and Graduate Student Scholars Program, which, through one year of funding, helps develop a community of scientists to research critical issues related to Lake Michigan and the Great Lakes region.

The five 2-year research projects in progress will support and expand IISG efforts in key areas.

  • Robin Mattheus of the Illinois State Geological Survey will engage in research to support coastal resilience. This team will build on previous work with the Chicago Park District and the Illinois Coastal Management Program, specifically studying how the lake bottom near Chicago affects movement of sand and sediment, and how that impacts shorelines.
  • Paul Brown and Yu-Ting Chu of Purdue University will study the potential for expanding marine aquaponics in the Midwest. Aquaponics is a circular system for growing plants and fish simultaneously. The team will identify possible salt-tolerant plant species, explore marine aquaponic systems, and quantify the demand for marine aquaponic products in Chicago markets. 
  • Michelle Macy of the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago will lead a team focused on decreasing drownings at Lake Michigan beaches. They will assess the impact of the Chicago Park District’s community water safety training and develop a swimming instruction program in Evanston, Illinois that will be adapted for implementation in other Chicago communities.
  • Brian Murphy of the University of Illinois Chicago and Will Edmonson at the James R. Jordan Boys & Girls Club of Chicago will directly involve students in Great Lakes-based antibiotic discovery research. Students will help collect samples from the Chicago River and Lake Michigan. Plus, they will learn how to use robotics to build a bacteria library and to test their samples against human pathogens.
  • Nadine Folino-Rorem of Wheaton College will lead a team of community scientists and students as they investigate invasive freshwater jellyfish blooms in Lake Michigan to get some insight into how the organisms may respond to climate change.

The 2022 group of IISG Faculty Scholars includes Jessica Ward of Ball State University, who will study the effect of microplastics and contaminants on larval fish and Lopamudra Chakraborti from Loyola University Chicago, who will conduct economic analyses on tourism in response to the cleanup of the Waukegan Area of Concern. In addition, Eleftheria Kontou at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Chengcheng Tao of Purdue University will use modeling to explore improving the resiliency of southern Lake Michigan communities to flooding.

Five new IISG Graduate Student Scholars from University of Illinois Chicago, Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, Ball State University, and Purdue University will improve their research in the areas of antibiotics, thermal pollution in the Chicago River, economic benefits of water quality improvements in Great Lakes Areas of Concern, and fish health, specifically alewife and lake sturgeon. Their projects and stories will be featured in the IISG newsroom and on social media channels throughout 2022 and 2023.

 “We are so excited to support these research projects,” said Carolyn Foley, IISG research coordinator. “They cover a broad set of issues in support of the Lake Michigan communities we serve, including introducing younger students to scientific research, and we cannot wait to see the outcomes.”

The full set of research projects supported through IISG’s competitive process can be explored through our Research Project Database: https://iiseagrant.org/research/research-projects/.

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.

Contact: Carolyn Foley

IISG Instagram

Just in time for DEA National Takeback Day on October 25, Unwanted Meds now has an interactive step-by-step guide that walks users through how to properly dispose of different types of medicine. Users can also find two new educational brochures designed to help veterinarians, pet owners, and livestock farmers prevent accidental poisonings and pollution.

Learn more at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18057445667549008
Just in time for DEA National Takeback Day on October 25, Unwanted Meds now has an interactive step-by-step guide that walks users through how to properly dispose of different types of medicine. Users can also find two new educational brochures designed to help veterinarians, pet owners, and livestock farmers prevent accidental poisonings and pollution.Learn more at the link in bio.

Join us November 5th and November 12th seminars on the latest fish biology, ecology, and fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan.

Topics will include:
• PFAS contamination in coastal tributaries
• Great Lakes Spawning Whitefish and Invasive Mussels (SWIM) project
• Hatchery update from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources

Learn more and register at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17850060816578617
Join us November 5th and November 12th seminars on the latest fish biology, ecology, and fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan. Topics will include:• PFAS contamination in coastal tributaries• Great Lakes Spawning Whitefish and Invasive Mussels (SWIM) project• Hatchery update from the Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesLearn more and register at the link in bio.

How Do You Track a Fish in a Great Lake?

Are your students curious about how scientists track fish underwater? In this Students Ask Scientists session, discover how researchers use acoustic telemetry to track fish like yellow perch in Lake Michigan.

You will meet Anna Hill, a master’s student at Purdue University, as she shares her career journey studying marine and freshwater systems.

📅 Date: November 6, 2025
🕚 Time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM CT
🎯 Audience: Middle school students & up + educators
💻 Location: Zoom (Pre-registration required)

Learn more and register at the link in bio.

#TeachingTuesday
#StudentsAskScientists
#LakeMichigan

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18196452733324608
How Do You Track a Fish in a Great Lake? Are your students curious about how scientists track fish underwater? In this Students Ask Scientists session, discover how researchers use acoustic telemetry to track fish like yellow perch in Lake Michigan.You will meet Anna Hill, a master’s student at Purdue University, as she shares her career journey studying marine and freshwater systems.📅 Date: November 6, 2025🕚 Time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM CT🎯 Audience: Middle school students & up + educators💻 Location: Zoom (Pre-registration required)Learn more and register at the link in bio.#TeachingTuesday#StudentsAskScientists#LakeMichigan

Join us at Illinois Beach State Park for Fall Nature Fest, a free, family-friendly event featuring guided hikes, hands-on activities, and interactive exhibits for all ages. Due to the potential for inclement weather, the fun is moving inside the Nature Center.

So, stop by, stay dry, and meet specialists from the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant as you explore interactive exhibits that celebrate Illinois’ natural heritage and the beauty of fall along Lake Michigan. We will be hosting the Great Plankton Race, which is a hands-on challenge where you’ll design your own plankton model and race it against others to test your creativity and engineering skills!

When: Saturday, October 18th, 10 AM to 2 PM.
Where: The Nature Center at Illinois Beach State Park.

Register today to receive event updates at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17946536450917437
Join us at Illinois Beach State Park for Fall Nature Fest, a free, family-friendly event featuring guided hikes, hands-on activities, and interactive exhibits for all ages. Due to the potential for inclement weather, the fun is moving inside the Nature Center. So, stop by, stay dry, and meet specialists from the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant as you explore interactive exhibits that celebrate Illinois’ natural heritage and the beauty of fall along Lake Michigan. We will be hosting the Great Plankton Race, which is a hands-on challenge where you’ll design your own plankton model and race it against others to test your creativity and engineering skills! When: Saturday, October 18th, 10 AM to 2 PM.Where: The Nature Center at Illinois Beach State Park.Register today to receive event updates at the link in bio.
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