Sea Grant Illinois-Indiana
Our Focus
These are trying times for the environment. With climate change upon us, as well as a host of other concerns, such as population growth, aquatic invasive species, contaminated waters, and loss of natural habitat, the southern Lake Michigan region faces many challenges. Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG), with its unique mandate to bring the latest science to those who can best use the information, serves a critical role in empowering people to solve problems in sustainable ways.
One of 34 Sea Grant Programs in the U.S., IISG is focused on the southern Lake Michigan region—104 miles of heavily urbanized and industrialized shoreline in Illinois and Indiana. One third of the population of the Great Lakes lives along the shore of Lake Michigan between Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Michigan City, Indiana.
The program is funded through National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) via the National Sea Grant College Program, as well as the University of Illinois and Purdue University, but IISG also works in partnerships with key organizations, institutions, and agencies in the region to reach more audiences and multiply opportunities for success. IISG brings together scientists, educators, policy makers, community decision makers, outreach specialists, business leaders, and the general public to work towards a healthy environment and economy.
Recent News
- Spring brings a program review as well as education and outreach opportunities
- Public comments sought for Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant review
- Illinois Indiana Sea Grant announces new coastal ecosystem and community resilience specialist
- Meet our Grad Student Scholars: Haribansha Timalsina
- 2025 Community Engaged Internships available with National Park Service and Urban Rivers
IISG Instagram
Calling all 6-12th grade educators! Only 5 days left to register! Join us for a FREE hands-on workshop exploring the lessons of the new Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems Curriculum at the Dunes Learning Center on April 15.
Get your feet wet (literally!) with crayfish sampling on the Little Calumet River, learn from an expert aquatic ecologist, and master GIS technology to log scientific data. Participants should come prepared for outdoor learning and bring a laptop for classroom activities.
The workshop is open to formal and non-formal educators, with a registration deadline of April 1. Space is limited, so register today at the link in bio.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant welcomes Hillary Glandon, the program’s new coastal ecosystem and community resilience specialist, to the team! Hillary will work to assess coastal change and provide actionable solutions for communities along the Great Lakes shorelines. Her position at IISG is in partnership with @inhsillinois in the University of Illinois’ Prairie Research Institute.
Full story at the link in bio.
Our collaboration with @shedd_aquarium was recently featured in a news article by @wttwchicago! The article discusses concerns raised by scientists, including how the St. Paddy’s Day dye in the Chicago River might impact fish and their behavior. It’s a timely conversation about how environmental factors, like dye, can affect our local ecosystems.
Check out the full story to learn more about the ongoing research and its implications for the health of our river and fish at the link in bio.
Image 1: c/o Tzido / iStock
Image 2: c/o Shedd Aquarium
Image 3: Shedd Aquarium
The Great Lakes BioBlitz is pleased to kick off this year’s event with a special webinar. Register today to learn some of the ways citizen science platforms are used to document locations, species diversity, and local phenology in diverse ecosystems.
What: Citizen Science & Research in the Sax-Zim Bog
When: April 9, 2 pm CT
Where: Zoom Webinar
Register at the link in bio.
