Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s summer interns are already hard at work assisting specialists in several areas, working directly on important issues and getting the public involved in problems facing the Great Lakes. 
 
Alice Denny, one of the interns working with the aquatic invasive species team, has been working with AIS specialist Sarah Zack to bring important invasive species prevention information to fishing tournament organizers and participants. She just recently attended the first of several tournaments slated for this summer, and wrote in to tell us about the internship experience thus far. 
“It has been a busy week for me at the AIS office. This summer I am primarily working with fishing tournament organizers and anglers to better understand their attitudes and practices in AIS prevention. Last weekend, I attended my first fishing tournament and had a great time. Although the weather was less than ideal at North Point Marina, Clean Boats Crew and I were able to reach out to the salmon and trout anglers in the Geoffrey Morris Memorial Tournament. Sarah and I attended the rules meeting Friday evening to talk about simple steps tournament anglers can take to prevent the spread of AIS. Then on Saturday I went to the weigh-in to speak with anglers one-on-one and hand out educational material. There were around 70 boats participating in the tournament, with multiple anglers per boat. The audience was receptive and I really enjoyed speaking with them about the importance of AIS prevention. I’ll be attending another tournament in Indiana next weekend, and I’m hoping for nice weather and lots of fish so I can reach as many anglers as possible! Overall I’m really enjoying working with this audience over the summer as I’m getting lots of experience with outreach.”
Several of our interns wrote about their experiences at the IAGLR 2013 conference, and there are many more events and projects they’ll be updating us on throughout the summer.

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Just in time for DEA National Takeback Day on October 25, Unwanted Meds now has an interactive step-by-step guide that walks users through how to properly dispose of different types of medicine. Users can also find two new educational brochures designed to help veterinarians, pet owners, and livestock farmers prevent accidental poisonings and pollution.Learn more at the link in bio.
Join us November 5th and November 12th seminars on the latest fish biology, ecology, and fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan. Topics will include:• PFAS contamination in coastal tributaries• Great Lakes Spawning Whitefish and Invasive Mussels (SWIM) project• Hatchery update from the Indiana Department of Natural ResourcesLearn more and register at the link in bio.
How Do You Track a Fish in a Great Lake? Are your students curious about how scientists track fish underwater? In this Students Ask Scientists session, discover how researchers use acoustic telemetry to track fish like yellow perch in Lake Michigan.You will meet Anna Hill, a master’s student at Purdue University, as she shares her career journey studying marine and freshwater systems.📅 Date: November 6, 2025🕚 Time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM CT🎯 Audience: Middle school students & up + educators💻 Location: Zoom (Pre-registration required)Learn more and register at the link in bio.#TeachingTuesday#StudentsAskScientists#LakeMichigan
Join us at Illinois Beach State Park for Fall Nature Fest, a free, family-friendly event featuring guided hikes, hands-on activities, and interactive exhibits for all ages. Due to the potential for inclement weather, the fun is moving inside the Nature Center. So, stop by, stay dry, and meet specialists from the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant as you explore interactive exhibits that celebrate Illinois’ natural heritage and the beauty of fall along Lake Michigan. We will be hosting the Great Plankton Race, which is a hands-on challenge where you’ll design your own plankton model and race it against others to test your creativity and engineering skills! When: Saturday, October 18th, 10 AM to 2 PM.Where: The Nature Center at Illinois Beach State Park.Register today to receive event updates at the link in bio.
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