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Social science researchers help evaluate more effective weather warnings

May 14th, 2014 by
The National Weather Service’s Weather-Ready Nation initiative was begun to help communities throughout the country better prepare for and respond to severe weather events. Much of that preparedness has to do with increasing the speed, accuracy, and effectiveness of weather monitoring and warning mechanisms on the local level. And finding the strongest ways to communicate weather messages to residents is key. 
 
That is why, as part of the Weather-Ready Nation project, the Great Lakes Social Science Network conducted extensive research into the most effective impact-based warnings. Their report, “Evaluation of the National Weather Service Impact-based Warning Tool,” utilized interviews, focus groups, and surveys to determine the most and least effective ways for broadcast meteorologists and emergency managers to communicate these warnings to the public.
 
National Weather Service piloted an impact-based warning system in 2012 in five select offices, and expanded it to the central region’s 38 offices in 2013. The report offers a sort of mid-term evaluation of the system’s effectiveness and stakeholders’ perceptions of it, while also providing recommendations for further training and implementation improvements. 
 
This research was a team effort between representatives from five Great Lakes Sea Grant programs. Caitie McCoy and Leslie Dorworth from Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant were involved, as well as Dr. Jane Harrison (Wisconsin Sea Grant), Dr. Kathy Bunting-Howarth (New York Sea Grant), Hilarie Sorensen (Minnesota Sea Grant), Katie Williams (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), and Dr. Chris Ellis (NOAA Coastal Services Center). The report was presented earlier this year to the Social Coast Forum in Charleston, SC, sparking a number of other groups and agencies to inquire about the report and possible opportunities to expand on it with further research. 
 
For further information about the Great Lakes Social Science Network, as well as training and future research projects, visit the link above.

In the news: Great Lakes lawmakers lobby for further funding

April 9th, 2014 by
Members of the House of Representatives from Great Lakes states are lobbying their colleagues in Congress to continue funding the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. 
 
“Forty-six House members from both parties recently sent a letter to leaders of a subcommittee that recommends spending on the environment.
 
It requests $300 million for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. The program usually gets about that much for projects dealing with threats such as toxic pollution and invasive species. President Barack Obama’s 2015 budget would cut it to $275 million.
 
Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan says the program has done much to improve the lakes’ health and now isn’t the time to cut back.”
Read more at the link above.

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Got a research idea worth a bigger room? The 2026 State of Lake Michigan Meeting is accepting proposals for symposia and workshops, and we want to hear yours!

📅 Nov. 4–6 | Michigan City, IN
⏰ Proposals due June 1 at 1 PM ET

Help shape what the Great Lakes research community discusses this year.

🔗 Submit at the link in bio.

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Got a research idea worth a bigger room? The 2026 State of Lake Michigan Meeting is accepting proposals for symposia and workshops, and we want to hear yours!📅 Nov. 4–6 | Michigan City, IN⏰ Proposals due June 1 at 1 PM ETHelp shape what the Great Lakes research community discusses this year.🔗 Submit at the link in bio.

To every educator who has brought the Great Lakes into their classroom, thank you. 🍎

Your curiosity is contagious. Your lessons last. And the students who learn to love these waters? They’ll protect them.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week from all of us at IISG.

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To every educator who has brought the Great Lakes into their classroom, thank you. 🍎Your curiosity is contagious. Your lessons last. And the students who learn to love these waters? They’ll protect them.Happy Teacher Appreciation Week from all of us at IISG.

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.

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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.