IISG education team wins APEX award

Posted July 20th, 2012 in Climate Ready Communities, Education, Sustainable Community Planning

The APEX awards are given each year to recognize outstanding publication work in a variety of fields by Communication Concepts, and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant was chosen as one of this year’s winners!

From their website:

“…(Communication) Concepts sponsors the APEX Awards, the annual Awards for Publication Excellence, an awards competition providing recognition for outstanding publishing efforts from newsletters and magazines to annual reports, campaigns, social media and websites.”

IISG’s Terri Hallesy and Robin Goettel were chosen for the “Education & Training Publications” category. Their “Fresh and Salt” project, a collaboration with Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence Great Lakes, collected activities, lessons, and other materials that joined Great Lakes and ocean topics in a cohesive way.


Designed for students in grades 5-10, the “Fresh and Salt” curriculum incorporated multiple facets of science education. Students learn about and even work on interactive mapping, investigation, experimentation, and additional concepts related to the science of both fresh and saltwater.

The curriculum’s 14 activities were structured  for effective science learning, and to prepare students as future decision-makers and leaders. Activities were carefully selected based on a distinct set of criteria that would help students apply science process skills needed for effective learning.

Aligned with Great Lakes and Ocean literacy principles, timely issues include:

•    Dominant physical features and their interconnections
•    Geological phenomena
•    Influence on weather and climate
•    Human-environment connections and impacts
•    Sustaining life on earth
•    Biodiversity, food webs, and energy flows
•    Exploration and technology innovation

“The COSEE Great Lakes Team accomplished our goal of providing educators with a science-based education resource that makes learning engaging,” said Hallesy. “It provides creative ideas to teach students about the Great Lakes and our oceans. Our intention is to educate students about ways to preserve and protect our aquatic ecosystems, while promoting environmental stewardship. ‘Fresh and Salt’ allows teachers to access relevant and timely science information leading to global awareness and environmental change.”

Teachers are encouraged to incorporate relevant activities and lessons into their planning. In addition, educators can contact Terri Hallesy or Robin Goettel to learn about other opportunities and materials for their classrooms.

Communication Concepts is a firm that works with firms to improve communications, PR, marketing, and more. They also provide reports on current trends and give annual awards to projects and organizations for their outstanding publications.

IISG Instagram

Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.

Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.

Full story at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17847944430638356
Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.Full story at the link in bio.

There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!

Learn more & register at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18063625076281979
There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!Learn more & register at the link in bio.

🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists!
We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.

They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.

Full story at the link in bio.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17925527007208099
🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists! We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.Full story at the link in bio.