Category:

Shortest month of the year was long on social science accomplishments

March 5th, 2014 by

February was a busy month for those interested in improving coastal outreach and education with social science. The topic took center stage at national and regional conferences. And IISG’s Caitie McCoy—along with other members of the Great Lakes Social Science Network—was onsite for each to discuss new research and provide tips for engaging the public, collecting reliable qualitative data, and evaluating projects. 

It all started with the NOAA Social Coast Forum in South Carolina. During the two-day event, Caitie talked with representatives from academia, government agencies, non-profits, and the private sector about everything from how social science has improved risk communication to the best ways to engage Great Lakes tribes in sediment removal projects. The biggest draw, though, was her presentation on the effectiveness of a new severe weather warning system with fellow Sea Grant social scientists Jane Harrison and Hilarie Sorenson along with University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student Katie Williams. 

 
The system is part of NOAA’s Weather-Ready Nation, a collaborative project designed to boost community resilience to tornadoes, storm surges, and other extreme weather events. It is intended to keep broadcast meteorologists and emergency managers up-to-date on expected impacts with messages like “tornadic winds could throw automobiles into the air” and “the entire neighborhood will be destroyed.” Caitie, Jane, Hilarie, and New York Sea Grant’s Katherine Bunting-Howarth were brought on board to ensure that messages meet the needs of those who rely on them most when the big storms hit.
 
Just a few days later, Caitie, Jane, Hilarie, and others brought social science information and recommendations to Superior, Wisconsin for the St. Louis River Estuary Summit. The summit brought together researchers, natural resource managers, educators, and members of the community interested in protecting this tributary to Lake Superior. 
 
For her part, Caitie reported on a needs assessment conducted last year to learn how local communities feel about remediation and restoration efforts in Spirit Lake, one of several sites that make up the St. Louis River Area of Concern. The case study uncovered several important views and concerns that will help Caitie and other members of the outreach team tailor their efforts to these communities. For example, learning that residents often struggle to see how remediation efforts fit together will help them design simple messages that connect cleaning up Spirit Lake with the ultimate goal of removing the St. Louis River from the AOC list. Although clean up won’t begin until at least 2015, the needs assessment has already influenced outreach and helped Caitie develop strong relationships within the community that will help the project move forward. 
 

The St. Louis River cleanup and Caitie’s work to improve public engagement here and at other AOCs is possible because of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative and the Great Lakes Legacy Act. 

(Photo credits: Photo 1: St. Louis River AOC, courtesy of EPA
Photo 2: Caitie McCoy and former intern Emily Anderson near the St. Louis River AOC)

New report on the St. Louis River AOC and its stakeholders is now available

October 7th, 2013 by
­­Among the many Areas of Concern (AOCs) designated by the International Joint Commission, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant has been involved in several providing research and reports on local stakeholders perceptions of cleanup operations and ways in which they are affected by the projects. This latest report details the St. Louis River AOC. 
 
From IISG’s Caitie McCoy: 
“A report on stakeholder perceptions of the St Louis River Area of Concern (AOC) and attitudes toward the cleanup and restoration work is now available. This summer, I traveled to the St Louis River with my intern Emily Anderson to perform social science research on community attitudes toward remediation and restoration. The river is located on the border between Duluth, MN and Superior, WI, and is the largest U.S. AOC. The report will help tailor efforts of the Spirit Lake Outreach Team toward local stakeholder needs and interests at the current Great Lakes Legacy Act site in the river, Spirit Lake.
 
Emily provided her thoughts on the experience – ‘Being part of the research team for this project allowed me to experience firsthand how social science contributes to environmental remediation and restoration. Conducting the interviews with Caitie, I met so many intriguing and knowledgeable people; I now see the direct implications that stakeholder input can have for both outreach and project design.’
 
This assessment is part of a larger effort to understand how AOC work influences stakeholder perceptions and use of waterways at a regional scale. A similar report on the Sheboygan River is available and a follow-up report on Sheboygan, post-cleanup, is coming soon.”
 

IISG Instagram

Valentine’s Day is almost here, and we’ve got you covered! Share our valentine with the one who makes your heart buoyant! 💌And catch up on all the latest IISG news at the link in bio.
Join us in welcoming IISG’s new coastal engineering and community resilience specialist, Sarah Peterson! Sarah’s chief responsibility will be to develop a coastal resilience program along the southern Lake Michigan shoreline. Read more about Sarah and her work at the link in bio.
Attention educators! Only 2 days left to apply!Got summer plans? The Shipboard Science Workshop takes place each year on one of the Great Lakes, and 2025 is Lake Michigan’s turn! Take advantage of this opportunity to work alongside scientists and fellow-educators  aboard the EPA R/V Lake Guardian to engage in real-world research and data collection, enhance your skills, and create innovative lessons. 5-12th grade formal and informal educators from all Great Lakes states are invited to apply for this FREE shipboard workshop sponsored by the EPA Great Lakes National Program Office and facilitated by Great Lakes Sea Grant Network educatorsWorkshop dates: July 7-13, 2025Application deadline: Feb. 10.Learn more at the link in bio.
🚨🚨 New episode alert!🚨🚨 Teach Me About the Great Lakes episode 105 is out!The nonprofit Freshwater Future has had much success working with local communities toward cleaner, safer drinking water. Jill Ryan, executive director, and Ann Baughman, associate director, patiently play Stuart’s favorite game, counting down the top five threats to our drinking water as they know them. SPOILER ALERT: Two of them surprised Stuart.Tune in via the link in bio.
Skip to content