Happy spring, everybody! While none of us know what to expect in terms of COVID-19 this summer or fall, some aspects of normal life are returning. For example, research and monitoring on the Great Lakes is back—with new COVID guidelines. Through the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative, this year, we are looking forward to being out and engaged in research on two lakes—Lake Michigan and Lake Superior—to make up for last year’s cancellations.
In other news, our ace aquaculture team is creating new opportunities for consumers to learn more about local aquaculture and eating fish as part of a healthy diet. Amy Shambach, aquaculture marketing outreach associate, has created Eat Midwest Fish, a website that’s full of information, including a fish finder map that shows users where fresh seafood is produced.
We’ve also kicked off a video series, Local Farmers, Local Fish, highlighting Illinois and Indiana aquaculture producers, with RDM Shrimp, located in Fowler, Indiana. Since the husband and wife team opened their doors in 2010, they have been raising Pacific white shrimp for the consumer market and teaching others how to do the same.
In other areas, we’re developing education compendiums for teachers and parents to bring lessons and activities about natural resource issues to young learners. Freedom Seekers: The Underground Railroad, Great Lakes, and Science Literacy Activities acknowledges the enslaved Africans who had to rely on environmental science principles in their quest for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Our Explorer Series began last year with a focus on weather and climate. This collection of educational resources is sortable by grade, topic, learning mode and more to make it easy to find what you need. New explorer collections will discuss pollution sources, tracking contamination levels, and ways to prevent pollution. The NLRS Explorer, addressing nutrient pollution, will be coming soon, and the Pollution Prevention Explorer, which touches on a variety of types of contaminants—including medicines and plastics in local waterways—will be ready later this year.
Along these lines, eight educators who, over the years, have set sail on the Sea Grant Shipboard Science Workshop aboard the EPA research ship, the Lake Guardian, have shared how that experience has made a difference in their teaching and their students’ lives. You can read their inspiring stories in Educators Onboard for Learning.
I am happy to announce that we have three new staff members who have recently joined us. Two positions are located in the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office and will focus on Area of Concern (AOC) remediation, restoration and revitalization.
First, Ashley Belle has switched roles in University of Illinois Extension—previously, she was an environmental and energy stewardship Extension educator and is now our Great Lakes AOC specialist who will engage in outreach with communities going through the cleanup process. Beata Fizser is our new AOC revitalization educator. She comes to IISG from Invenergy LLC, where she was a senior analyst on culture, innovation and impact.
Ben Szczygiel has joined Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources and IISG as a buoy and aquatic ecosystem specialist. He is coming from the State University of New York in Buffalo where he was a research assistant and will now be managing our buoy program.
Each summer on one of the Great Lakes, 15 educators set sail for a week on the Lake Guardian, an Environmental Protection Agency research vessel, where they work side by side with scientists and fellow educators, growing their knowledge and confidence in bringing Great Lakes science to their students.
The Shipboard Science Workshop is the centerpiece project of the Center for Great Lakes Literacy, a collaborative of education specialists from Sea Grant programs in the region and funded through the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. Since 2006, 207 educators have taken part in this adventure.
The hands-on, immersive nature of this experience fosters a broader and deeper understanding of science—the educators onboard are developing research skills as they engage in real world scientific investigation. They also expand their “treasure box” of lessons, teaching strategies, and network of like-minded colleagues. Participants of the workshops have described them as once-in-a-lifetime professional development opportunities.
Educators from every Great Lake state described how participating in the Shipboard Science Workshop has impacted them and their students. You can read their experiences in a new story map: Educators Onboard for Learning.
In light of last year’s high water levels in Lake Michigan and other Great Lakes, repeatedly breaking monthly records, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) brought together resource managers, experts, scientists and community leaders in October to improve understanding of changing lake level impacts and management implications. The group began a process of sharing information and ideas.
While lake levels reached a high mark in 2020, not long ago, in 2012−13 in fact, Lake Michigan’s water level was at a record low. At the time, hydrologists and others were concerned about ships navigating in shallower waters and the need for dredging, among other issues.
Conversely, record and near-record high water levels in 2020 led to submerged docks, flooded transportation infrastructure, including Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive, inundated coastal areas and eroding shorelines. Higher water levels can cause irreversible, lasting damage to the shoreline and structures, as well as to habitats.
The virtual workshops, which took place over four afternoons, were focused on the southwestern Lake Michigan region, which includes Chicago and industrialized areas south of Chicago and in Indiana, as well as unique stretches of precious coastal habitat such as the Indiana Dunes National Park, along with other state-protected natural areas.
With 30−40 participants each day, the sessions combined presentations with small group discussions to identify specific issues and define available and needed resources. These conversations brought some common themes to the front.
“Participants stressed the need to keep up with the best available science and experts in the field,” said Veronica Fall, IISG climate specialist. Fall, along with Carolyn Foley, the program’s research coordinator, organized and hosted the workshop series.
In addition, the discussions brought out the need to apply information to long-term planning and management, given projections for increased water level variability, and, specifically, water safety concerns were highlighted.
The group also focused on the need to share information, stressing the importance of knowing people’s expertise so that it is clear whom to contact with questions. Participants expressed the importance of engaging and sharing information with diverse audiences.
“They agreed on the need to pull together lists of available resources for use by Lake Michigan shoreline communities, and ensure these are being equitably shared,” said Foley. “Some participants have already indicated that they will be revising how they share information in response to thoughts shared during these workshops.”
You can find the workshop report in IISG’s publications database. Presentations by workshop participants from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Cook County Emergency Management and Regional Security, the Illinois State Geological Survey, and more are available via IISG’s YouTube channel.
As 2020 comes to an end, we say good-bye to a long and challenging year, to say the least. We’ve all coped with changes and losses, large and small, as we’ve lived through this pandemic.
Like everyone, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) has worked to adapt. We’ve also sought out ways to provide support for our stakeholders to adapt in these times. We developed initiatives to help aquaculture producers and charter fishermen find new ways to be successful. And we’ve helped teachers pivot to online learning with new resources and opportunities, including our Scientist to Student program that uses video chats to bring scientists into students’ homes to talk about the Great Lakes and related science.
In 2020, our podcast, Teach Me About the Great Lakes, kicked into high gear. As the year took its many turns, Stuart Carlton worked to make the conversations relevant to our lives. He talked to experts about spending time in nature while we live with the threat of COVID-19 and actively brought a more diverse group of Great Lakes scientists into the podcast conversations.
Late in the year, IISG, together with Purdue Extension and the university’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, launched a new podcast series. Mitch Zischke and Megan Gunn are co-hosting Pond University, covering related topics such as habitat, fish stocking, vegetation control and construction, and will feature conversations with aquatic scientists, landowners and pond professionals.
Related to another issue of elevated concern, we held a series of workshops for resource managers and community leaders in the southern Lake Michigan region to discuss the lake’s record-breaking high water level and extreme water level variability in the last decade. The group ended the meetings with enthusiasm for further discussion and a list of available and needed resources.
As we look to the new year, it brings new opportunities, as always, but also a chance to make up for some of this year’s setbacks.
First of all, two IISG specialists moved on to other opportunities in 2020 and their professionalism and enthusiasm are very much missed. Jay Beugly was responsible for our buoys—their upkeep, installation and removal each year. But he also worked as an aquatic ecologist who engaged students in learning about fish in local waterways. Caitie Nigrelli is a social scientist who provided critical outreach to Great Lakes Areas of Concern communities undergoing the cleanup process. Before she left, Caitie developed a new position to assist in these efforts. Now, the process is ongoing to fill all three of these openings. What’s more, we are accepting applications for an associate director for the program, situated at the University of Illinois.
This year was scheduled to be a big year for Lake Michigan research through the Cooperative Science and Monitoring Initiative, which brings together scientists from around the Great Lakes to focus on one lake each year. This research and monitoring effort didn’t happen in 2020, but some studies will take place in the coming year after all, making for a busy field season on Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
Speaking of research, a new study carried out by three Sea Grant scientists, including our Carolyn Foley, found that Sea Grant-supported research is consistently published in high quality journals and is frequently cited in local, regional and international publications. We continue supporting research relevant to our region, so this week we announce our new Request for Proposals with a particular focus on local food—specifically, fish and seafood—as well as changing lake levels, water safety and many other Great Lakes issues.
We are also expanding our research funding opportunities. In the coming year, we expect to release a request for applications to a new Graduate Student Scholars program. Current graduate students in Illinois and Indiana will be able to apply for funding to expand their research and will have opportunities to learn from Sea Grant specialists about a variety of topics related to effective outreach and communication.
With hope for better days soon, we wish you happy holidays!
Sea Grant-supported research is consistently published in high quality journals and is highly cited in local, regional and international publications, according to a recent study. This assessment of over 6,500 peer-reviewed publications from 2001-2015 also shows that while Sea Grant research projects typically address local issues, the work is often cited well beyond that, in fact, sometimes worldwide.
The Sea Grant program, which was established by Congress in 1966 to enhance the practical use and conservation of coastal, marine and Great Lakes resources, accomplishes its mission with a three-pronged approach focused on research, outreach and education. At a federal level, Sea Grant is part of NOAA and local programs are typically situated in land-grant universities in coastal states.
With more than a third of program resources dedicated to fund research, a team of scientists came together to assess the impact of that work. The researchers were Carolyn Foley, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant research coordinator, Mona Behl, Georgia Sea Grant associate director and Rebecca Briggs, National Sea Grant Office research coordinator.
They used well-established tools to analyze the types of journals that have published Sea Grant research, the frequency these articles are referenced by other researchers, and, in a limited scope, the geographic range of these citations.
Sea Grant research is consistently published in a range of journals, from “high impact” prestigious publications to regional or state journals.
“The diversity of journals in which Sea Grant-supported research is published suggests that these researchers are advancing the program’s goals—to share timely results with those who stand to benefit most from them,” said Foley.
From 2001 to 2015, Sea Grant-supported publications have been steadily cited, with the oldest publications more than 43,000 times. This indicates that over time, Sea Grant publications are consistently consulted by other scientists to support their research, benefitting both local stakeholders and the broader scientific community. Analysis of the geographic reach of the two most frequently-cited articles—both over 5,000 times—revealed that the articles have been informing work done by scientists around the world.
In addition, by analyzing commonly used words in article titles, the research team found further indication of the place-based aspect of Sea Grant supported projects as well as the applied nature of the work. This was illustrated through the frequent use of the words management, use and effect, for example.
“Sea Grant is well known for funding research topics in their infancy—for example, harmful algal blooms, aquatic invasive species, and microplastics—and investigating causes and supporting stakeholder needs at the local level before they because widespread topics of focus,” said Foley.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.
September, of course, means back to school. For many, this concept is only a memory. Others are living it firsthand, while parents experience this time through their children. But, it is clear, for most, this school year has started off differently than any we have known in the past.
As Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant continues to adjust programming for our socially distanced world, we are striving to be a resource for others. In time for this fall’s semester, we have created a weather and climate education toolkit where teachers and parents can find resources on the topics of weather, climate and climate change. This collection of activities can help empower educators, both locally and nationally, to be able to teach complex topics in a virtual setting.
Beyond the classroom, IISG is helping some local businesses navigate the pandemic and prepare for a more resilient future. We are engaging with Lake Michigan charter fishing captains in Illinois and Indiana to understand how COVID-19 has affected them and to provide information on government programs that can help stabilize their businesses. IISG is also leading a pilot-study project to help aquaculture producers receive critical training so they can process their fish in commercial kitchens during times when normal distribution channels are interrupted.
In other pressing subjects, this fall, IISG will host a series of virtual workshops to improve understanding of Lake Michigan’s changing water levels. In 2020, the lake repeatedly broke monthly high-water level records. With a focus on the southern Lake Michigan region, we are bringing together scientists and other experts who are engaged in lake-level changes and their effects. We envision that information generated through these workshops will inform the development of products, tools, and datasets that help communicate the risks associated with future water level changes, whether lake levels be high or low.
Finally, I’d like to share that IISG has brought back The Helm, the program’s long-running news publication. Now an annual magazine, The Helm is a collection of program research, outreach and education success stories and ongoing activities to address coastal concerns. This issue is focused on addressing urban flooding, the seafood trade deficit, critical natural resources, and more.
“I was 19 years old. I never even knew any of this stuff existed. I didn’t know I could be a scientist. I thought that was something way beyond what I could be,” said Susan Daniel, a Buffalo State College researcher who studies invertebrates that live at the bottom of the Great Lakes.
She was talking to students from Ellis Middle School in Elgin, Illinois, who had posed questions for her and a handful of other scientists taking part in a virtual session bringing these two groups together. These students in Holly Yee’s science classes had been studying the Great Lakes and the participating scientists are experts on the subject. They hail from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), universities and the Sea Grant program.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) developed the Scientists Ask Students (SAS) program to connect students with Great Lakes scientists on board the EPA research ship, the Lake Guardian, via videocasts. While out on the lakes collecting samples, scientists visit classrooms virtually and talk with students about aquatic science, water quality monitoring, careers, and life on a ship. Since the program’s inception, over 25 scientists, 33 teachers, and more than 3400 students throughout the Great Lakes have participated.
This spring, due to COVID-19, as with most events, SAS videocasts needed to be rethought, if the program happened at all. Working with several teachers, IISG’s Kristin TePas and Allison Neubauer refashioned the get-togethers with everyone in their homes, both scientists and students alike.
“This has resulted in a fair amount of trial and error to find processes and platforms that work well,” said Neubauer, IISG Great Lakes outreach associate. “As it turns out, I think this has been beneficial in encouraging participation from different types of learners, ranging from those who feel comfortable unmuting themselves and directly asking the scientists questions to those who would prefer to type in a chat box.”
The interactions with scientists and the Elgin students included prerecorded videos created when convenient—introductory videos from scientists describing their work, students posing questions, and scientists’ recorded answers. Many of the questions focused on Great Lakes conditions and issues, but some were more personal in nature, such as what is your favorite thing about being a scientist?
“Quite a few of my students expressed how much they learned by having these virtual conversations with the scientists and that it sparked their interest to want to explore the Great Lakes with their families,” said Yee.
In Mishawaka, Indiana, John Gensic’s high schoolers were learning about genetically modified organisms (GMO) and biotechnology, including farm-raised GMO salmon, so TePas and Neubauer recruited Sea Grant specialists in Great Lakes fisheries and aquaculture to answer their questions.
They organized two live sessions to give students more opportunity to take part. And while these sessions included real-time interactions, they also allowed for submitting questions after the fact.
“This opportunity actually was better via remote learning because many classes of students could participate at once, and they weren’t missing another class to join this call,” said Gensic. “It helped students see potential careers and helped students meet people who actually worked in the places we had previously read about. The experience also helped me grow in my understanding as a teacher to make more relevant lessons in the future.”
The third session was with Benita Cataldo’s high school biology students in Waterton, New York, and this time the students posed questions in the chat space in real time.
Many of the educators that bring these videochat sessions to their students have also taken part in other Sea Grant opportunities to enhance aquatic science and Great Lakes education in their classrooms. In fact, they likely spent some time on the Lake Guardian themselves.
Every summer, the Center for Great Lakes Literacy, a consortium of seven Sea Grant programs, conducts a weeklong Shipboard Science workshop where about 15 educators work side-by-side with scientists on the EPA ship. Teachers explore aquatic sciences and learn about resources that help them bring Great Lakes and ocean literacy activities to their classrooms and they build networks with educators and scientists. Sadly, the 2020 Lake Michigan workshop was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Most of the focus of SAS and the Shipboard Science Workshop has been on the opportunities they bring to educators and, of course, their students. Educators have described organizing field trips, incorporating new curricula, and bringing real-world Great Lakes issues to the classroom. Students’ eyes may also be opened to new career possibilities.
But the benefits can go both ways. Scientists can be inspired as well.
“When these students come and ask good questions and really remind you what you’re doing is important, it lights that fire in your belly for a couple more months—to really have that drive to do research, and do it well,” said Daniel.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant announces the return of its long-running news publication, The Helm, which has been on hiatus. Now an annual magazine, The Helm is a collection of program research, outreach and education success stories and ongoing activities to address coastal concerns. This first issue is focused on addressing urban flooding, the seafood trade deficit, critical natural resources, and more.
Here are some headlines from this issue:
Building better rain gardens to reduce runoff
Regional and local efforts focus on growing aquaculture
Science and scientists become real for students and teachers
Communities set natural resource priorities and create action plans
Buoys provide key data to predict dangerous currents
When Kathy Sipple was homebound as many of us were this spring, she decided to use her training from the Indiana Master Watershed Steward program to transform her property.
“I designed the dry creek bed in my backyard. I put in a rain garden. I removed all the turf grass from my front yard and replaced it with native plants,” she explained. “I really internalized that the training was about more than getting a certificate. I want my own land to reflect the best water practices that I could possibly do as a watershed steward.”
The Indiana Master Watershed Steward program, which trains residents in the basics of maintaining and enhancing water resources, kicked off its first course in 2019. After completing 12 weeks of classes, participants become certified by then completing 35 hours of volunteer service.
“We developed this program because changes in local watersheds have led to a need for water sampling and other activities to better understand the conditions of our waterways and also to connect volunteers with organizations who engage in on-the-ground work,” said Leslie Dorworth, aquatic ecology specialist for Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant and Purdue University Northwest. The IMWS program is a collaboration of more than 15 federal, university, regional, and local partners.
In its inaugural year, 14 people completed the training and 11 of those became full-fledged stewards. As part of their volunteering, stewards earned their certification by removing invasive species, monitoring stream water quality, cleaning up beaches, rehabilitating wildlife, planting rain gardens and more.
Sipple, who had a long history of volunteering for environmental activities in northwest Indiana, quickly achieved her certification by helping with invasive species removal projects and organizing a climate change meeting.
Another graduate of the stewardship program, David Klein began his involvement in volunteerism helping with labor issues. As he came to appreciate the natural beauty of the Calumet region, his volunteering activities followed suit, including putting in long days helping to clear debris from the East Branch of the Little Calumet Water Trail. He took the course, in part, due to his interest in hydrology.
(Images courtesy of David Klein.)
This spring, Klein organized seven socially-distant beach cleanup events along the Indiana shore, at which 26 participants collected more than 300 pounds of trash.
“Beach cleanups can bring together people from diverse backgrounds and belief structures to work toward a common goal that benefits the community and is personally worthwhile and gratifying,” said Klein. These events have now been suspended because many Indiana beaches are closed this summer due to the pandemic.
According to IMWS graduate Susan Swarner, the biggest benefit of volunteering after the training is that she has a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding watershed management than before. “This means that I can give more detailed programs and refine them for different interests, community groups, and age groups,” she added.
With this year’s classes canceled due to the pandemic, plans are in the works to retool the 2021 course to be in a virtual format. “This offers us the opportunity to incorporate panel discussions and podcasts, but also the chance for potential participants from throughout the state to take part,” said Dorworth.
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.
With 30−40 participants each day, the sessions combined presentations with small group discussions to identify specific issues and define available and needed resources. These conversations brought some common themes to the front.
;