Les Warren is Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s buoy specialist. His primary duties consist of overseeing the day-to-day operations of the nearshore buoy and environmental sensor program. Les also provides outreach and engagement to increase the awareness of the data availability provided by real-time buoys to the general public and other Lake Michigan users.

Before joining IISG, Les earned a master’s degree in environmental and ecology biology from St. Cloud State University and a bachelor’s degree in environmental biology from University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. He earned his doctorate from Purdue University, where his research focused on the recruitment and habitat utilization of fish species in Lake Michigan.