Paris Collingsworth has joined IISG as the new Great Lakes ecosystem specialist. He is working with the U.S. EPA Great Lakes National Program Office to improve access to and sharing of Great Lakes data and research, develop indicators, and develop products and programs to sustain or improve ecosystem health.

Paris has a background in statistical and computer modeling and comes to IISG from a post doc position at the USGS Great Lakes Science Center where he was involved in building models describing how primary productivity patterns and climatic variables influence fish recruitment across the Great Lakes. He has a PhD in evolution, ecology and organismal biology from Ohio State and an MS in zoology from Southern Illinois University.

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Join is in welcoming our new research and reporting coordinator, Laura Esman, to the team! In her new role, Laura will oversee research competitions and manage IISG’s research portfolio. She will also spearhead IISG data collection and lead the program’s annual reporting process.Esman brings over 30 years of experience in research, project coordination and grant administration. Her most recent positions include managing director of the Indiana Water Resources Research Center, and lab manager and research associate in the Natural Resources Social Science Lab in Purdue’s Department of Forestry and Natural Resources.Full story at the link in bio.
There’s still time to register! Educators are invited to join the Great Lakes Region Place-Based Education Institute starting this February and dive into hands-on strategies that connect students with their communities and local environments. Don’t miss this powerful professional learning opportunity!Learn more & register at the link in bio.
🎉 Congratulations to our IISG Knauss Fellowship finalists! We’re proud to announce Anupama Chandroth (@iubloomington) and Laura Gray (@illinois1867) as Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s finalists for the 2026 Sea Grant Knauss Fellowship.They’ll join a national cohort of 48 finalists placed in executive and legislative branch offices in Washington, D.C., contributing scientific expertise to federal decision-making on marine, coastal, and Great Lakes issues.Full story at the link in bio.