We recently got some exciting news from former intern Ada Morgan, who in 2011 worked with Caitie McCoy on a study of community perceptions of sediment remediation in the Sheboygan River Area of Concern. We’ll let her tell you what she has been up to since.

“The Sheboygan study finished up just before I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I studied economics and environmental geology there, and I knew I wanted to continue my studies in the environmental field. I was encouraged by Caitie and a few others I looked up to to look into graduate school. That fall, I began a master of urban planning and policy program at the University of Illinois Chicago, where I continued to learn about how humans interact with our environment and how to think holistically about the decisions we make. 

My specialization was in environmental planning. I took some great courses, like an economic and environmental planning course and a course on residential sustainability policy. My final project centered on greywater reuse in a south suburb of Chicago. 

I graduated this past May and am now the environmental and sustainability coordinator for a bread manufacturing company. I started just a few weeks ago. I am responsible for both environmental compliance (permits, etc.) and sustainability projects and initiatives. My main task so far has been re-developing an environmental management system for the entire company, which has four different facilities. 

My experiences working with Caitie at IISG was the best preparation I could have had for both graduate school and my current job. I was able to participate in almost all aspects of the Sheboygan study. I helped with interviewing stakeholders, performed data analysis, and co-authored the final report with Caitie. You don’t often get this kind of hands-on experience with qualitative analysis and reporting in school. 

I also learned a lot about environmental regulations since the project I worked on was under EPA’s Great Lakes Legacy Act. Understanding the regulatory structure helped tremendously while I was in the urban planning program (reading codes) and continues to help me navigate compliance issues at my company. Overall, the time I spent at IISG was one of my most valuable internships, and I am extremely thankful to have had the opportunity to work at such a fantastic organization.”

 

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Happy International Women’s Day! A special thank you to the incredible members of our IISG community who inspire, lead, and drive change every day. 🎉
It’s almost our favorite time of the year...Rain Garden Rumble!This will be our 6th annual competition where 28 native plant species go head-to-head (or bloom-to-bloom?) in a fierce competition. But the best part? YOU determine who is crowned champion.There are a few ways to participate. First, fill out a bracket* (steps below). Then, vote in our daily Instagram polls or Facebook posts from March 18th through April 4th. The person who submits the most accurate bracket wins a sweet set of Illinois Extension "rain-care" merch (an umbrella and rain gauge)!👀*You do NOT have to fill out a bracket to vote in the polls!1. Click the link in our bio to open our official blog with more information regarding the event.2. Scroll down and click our bracket.3. In the tab that pops up, click the “download” icon.4. Fill it out with your picks and save the document. Please include your name! Note that you can learn more about the plants by clicking their names in the bracket.5. Submit your completed bracket to RedOakRainGarden@illinois.edu by Monday, March 17. Matches begin the following day on Facebook and Instagram.May the best plant win...🌿🏆#RainGardenRumble2025
Learn about freshwater jellyfish in Wolf Lake!! #IISGfunded researcher Nadine Folino-Rorem of Wheaton College is speaking to Calumet Revisited on Mar 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM Central, and you can listen in! Request a Zoom link: booscommunications@gmail.comLearn more about this research at the link in bio.
Reminder to apply by March 5!!IISG has a new funding opportunity for promising two-year research projects addressing issues relevant to the southern Lake Michigan ecosystem and the surrounding communities in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.The competitive grant program funds research projects aligned with the goals outlined in the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Strategic Plan 2024-2027. These goals include Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Resilient Communities and Economies, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development.Learn more at the link in bio.
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