Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has announced the winners of its 2026 Graduate Scholars Program research competition. This year, IISG selected nine graduate students from universities across Illinois and Indiana to receive funding support for research projects addressing water quality, stormwater management, community resilience, and other environmental challenges.
Each scholar receives up to $10,000 to support research expenses, graduate student stipends, travel, or other activities that help expand the scholarly or societal impact of their research.
The 2026 Graduate Scholars are:
- Ozlem Sadik, Indiana University Bloomington – From Sky to Water: Tracking Invisible Pollutants into Lake Michigan
- Paul Lee, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign – Uncover Overlooked Diversity of Polyphosphate-Accumulating Organisms (PAOs) to Enhance Phosphorus Control in the Lake Michigan Basin
- Michael Sansone, Illinois Institute of Technology – Physics-Informed Digital Twins for Urban Sewer Systems
- Caitlyn Smith, Loyola University Chicago – The Economic Value of Green Stormwater Infrastructure to Reduce Flood Risk
- Rongze Hu, Purdue University – Computational Assessment of Hydrodynamic Conditions on Fish Habitat Suitability in Southern Lake Michigan: The Role of Water Temperature and Velocity
- Matthew VanAusdal, Purdue University – A Survival-First Load Priority Framework for Residential DC-Native Backup Systems
- Kylie Lawson, University of Notre Dame – Connecting Communities to PFAS Science and Water Quality
- Ayobami Oladapo, Purdue University – Quantifying Connectivity between Aquifer Systems and Surface Water in Glacial Aquifer Systems using Time-Series Analysis and Isotopes
- Dakshya Karki, University of Illinois Chicago – Effect of Combined Sewer Overflows on Antimicrobial Resistance Genes and Metal Resistance Genes in Southern Lake Michigan
In addition to their own research work, the scholars will participate in professional development sessions covering topics like science communication, research and extension, and connecting research to broader societal impacts. They also will have opportunities to network and engage with Great Lakes researchers and outreach professionals.
The 2026 projects are expected to begin December 1, 2026, and conclude by November 30, 2027, with scholars presenting their findings to IISG and other stakeholders in early 2027.
