Katie O'Reilly sits at her desk in a fish shirt, holding fish toys, with "Hi, Skype a Scientist!" written on a whiteboard along with a hand-drawn fish.
Katie O'Reilly participated in the "Skype a Scientist" program and connected with classrooms across the world on October 19, 2018.

Each year, graduate students nominated by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Knauss Fellowship turn in a report at the end of their tenure as a fellow. This year, it was time for Katie O’Reilly—a doctoral candidate at Notre Dame and the brilliant @DrKatfish on Twitter—to say goodbye and reflect on her growth and achievements over the past twelve months.

“In true communicator style, I decided to create a web page for my report, 2018 Knauss: A Year in Review,” O’Reilly said. “This truly amazing experience would not have been possible without the support from all of you: everyone at Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, the Sea Grant Knauss team, my PhD advisor Gary, and especially my Sea Grant mentor Brooke. I cannot thank you all enough for giving me this opportunity to grow in my career.”

If you want a fun and interesting way to dive into the world of a NOAA Sea Grant Knauss Policy Fellow, experience O’Reilly’s year as a fellow through her visual storytelling in 2018 Knauss: A Year in Review.

IISG Instagram

Happy International Women’s Day! A special thank you to the incredible members of our IISG community who inspire, lead, and drive change every day. 🎉
It’s almost our favorite time of the year...Rain Garden Rumble!This will be our 6th annual competition where 28 native plant species go head-to-head (or bloom-to-bloom?) in a fierce competition. But the best part? YOU determine who is crowned champion.There are a few ways to participate. First, fill out a bracket* (steps below). Then, vote in our daily Instagram polls or Facebook posts from March 18th through April 4th. The person who submits the most accurate bracket wins a sweet set of Illinois Extension "rain-care" merch (an umbrella and rain gauge)!👀*You do NOT have to fill out a bracket to vote in the polls!1. Click the link in our bio to open our official blog with more information regarding the event.2. Scroll down and click our bracket.3. In the tab that pops up, click the “download” icon.4. Fill it out with your picks and save the document. Please include your name! Note that you can learn more about the plants by clicking their names in the bracket.5. Submit your completed bracket to RedOakRainGarden@illinois.edu by Monday, March 17. Matches begin the following day on Facebook and Instagram.May the best plant win...🌿🏆#RainGardenRumble2025
Learn about freshwater jellyfish in Wolf Lake!! #IISGfunded researcher Nadine Folino-Rorem of Wheaton College is speaking to Calumet Revisited on Mar 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM Central, and you can listen in! Request a Zoom link: booscommunications@gmail.comLearn more about this research at the link in bio.
Reminder to apply by March 5!!IISG has a new funding opportunity for promising two-year research projects addressing issues relevant to the southern Lake Michigan ecosystem and the surrounding communities in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana.The competitive grant program funds research projects aligned with the goals outlined in the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant Strategic Plan 2024-2027. These goals include Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Resilient Communities and Economies, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development.Learn more at the link in bio.
Skip to content