IISG Director Brian Miller congratulates Robin on her award  

Robin Goettel, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s associate director for education, was recently recognized for her career-long commitment and contributions to improving natural resources. 

 
The Paul A. Funk Recognition Award is given annually “to faculty and academic professionals for outstanding achievement and major contributions to the betterment of agriculture, natural resources, and human systems.” 
 
Specifically, Robin’s work has extended and expanded water information and education in Illinois by introducing water science concepts, activities, curricula, and more to students and teachers throughout the state and the Midwest. 
 
Robin was one of three people selected for this prestigious award, and the video below highlights her achievements. 
 

 

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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.
Invasive crayfish are reshaping freshwater ecosystems, and there's a lot of new ground to cover. 🦞The Invasive Crayfish Collaborative is hosting two virtual lightning talk sessions packed with the latest on impacts, distribution, management, and policy.💻 Session 1: Mon, April 27 | 3 pm ET / 2 pm CT💻 Session 2: Tue, April 28 | 12 pm ET / 11 am CT🔗 Registration links in bio.