Three educators from Illinois will join Center for Great Lakes Literacy (CGLL) staff and Great Lakes scientists to work aboard an EPA research vessel for a week and bring Great Lakes knowledge and information back to their classrooms! The expedition is July 7-13, 2026.
The Illinois-based educators are:
- Brian Hayes, an International Baccalaureate (IB) Biology teacher at Taft High School in Chicago. Hayes teaches 11th– and 12th-grade students and brings a background in environmental education, having previously directed summer camp programs focused on environmental learning.
- Ayesha Qazi-Lampert, an AP Environmental Science teacher with Chicago Public Schools. In addition to teaching high school students, Qazi-Lampert supports experiential environmental science programming and professional development for educators across the district.
- Dana Shabica, an AP Environmental Science and Human Anatomy teacher with Chicago Public Schools. In addition to teaching AP Environmental Science and Human Anatomy to 11th– and 12th-grade students at Westinghouse College Preparatory High School, Shabica also collaborates with the Youth Participatory Science Conference.
Through a partnership with the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office, NOAA, and with funding from the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, educators will spend a full week alongside scientists aboard the EPA R/V Lake Guardian. Hosts for the Lake Superior expedition are CGLL partners Minnesota Sea Grant, Wisconsin Sea Grant and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. Sea Grant programs are supported by the National Sea Grant College Program and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The Shipboard Science Immersions are designed to promote Great Lakes science while forging lasting relationships between Great Lakes scientists and educators. CGLL is a collaborative effort led by Sea Grant educators throughout the U.S. Great Lakes watershed. CGLL fosters informed and responsible decisions that advance basin-wide stewardship by providing hands-on experiences, educational resources, and networking opportunities promoting Great Lakes literacy among an engaged community of educators, scientists, and youth.
For more information on the 2026 Shipboard Science Immersions visit the Center for Great Lakes Literacy website.
