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One of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s (IISG) long-term goals is to help build a community of researchers and outreach professionals focused on critically important Lake Michigan issues. The IISG Scholars programs are designed to help build this community by introducing researchers to the issues and the individuals, organizations, and communities that are affected by them. In addition, the programs are intended to help graduate student scholars further the impact of their research, and help faculty scholars develop innovative, fundable proposals for future work in the region. View examples of past scholar projects in our newsroom.

The 2023 IISG Scholars competition is now open for Graduate Students and Faculty. Awards are issued for one year and activities should be completed during that year. IISG expects to support 4–5 Graduate Student Scholars and 6 Faculty Scholars in 2023. For 2023, at least three of the funded Faculty Scholar projects are expected to focus on research that supports resiliency along shorelines and in coastal communities. Learn more by reading the full Request for Applications.

Applicants for both opportunities (graduate students and faculty) should submit materials via https://esg.iiseagrant.org/ by 11:59 p.m. Central time on January 20, 2023. Applications should be submitted to the “IL-IN SG 2023 Scholars Competition”. Late applications will not be accepted unless the applicant has contacted IISG staff before the deadline to make them aware of potential issues (e.g., computer, power, or internet issues). IISG staff reserve the right to refuse late applications if the program determines that individual circumstances do not warrant an extension. 


Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a partnership between NOAA, University of Illinois Extension, and Purdue University Forestry and Natural Resources, bringing science together with communities for solutions that work. Sea Grant is a network of 34 science, education and outreach programs located in every coastal and Great Lakes state, Lake Champlain, Puerto Rico and Guam.

 

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Located in Washington, D.C., the Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship provides a unique educational and professional experience to graduate students who have an interest in ocean, coastal and Great Lakes resources, and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources. This is a one-year fellowship open to any student, regardless of citizenship, who is enrolled toward a degree in a graduate or professional program on the day of the deadline.Students enrolled at an Illinois or Indiana university or college should submit their applications through Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant by emailing Angela Archer at amcbride@purdue.edu. Students in surrounding states without a Sea Grant program should contact the National Sea Grant College Program at oar.sg.fellows@noaa.gov for a referral. Application deadline: June 3, 2026.To learn more about the fellowship, visit the link in bio.
PD hours + Great Lakes science + hands-on learning? Yes please.Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has five educator workshops lined up for spring and summer 2026, covering birds, watersheds, coastal science, earth systems, and engineering design.🐦 May 3 · 💧 June 10 · 🌊 July 16 · 🌍 July 31–Aug 1 · 🏗️ Aug 18Real-world connections. Field experiences. Takeaways your students will actually feel.🔗 Register at the link in bio.