Today’s health and environmental concerns direct IISG’s efforts

Posted September 28th, 2020 in Aquaculture, Climate Ready Communities, Director's Blog, Fisheries, News
image of school lockers

September, of course, means back to school. For many, this concept is only a memory. Others are living it firsthand, while parents experience this time through their children. But, it is clear, for most, this school year has started off differently than any we have known in the past. 

As Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant continues to adjust programming for our socially distanced world, we are striving to be a resource for others. In time for this fall’s semester, we have created a weather and climate education toolkit where teachers and parents can find resources on the topics of weather, climate and climate change. This collection of activities can help empower educators, both locally and nationally, to be able to teach complex topics in a virtual setting.

Beyond the classroom, IISG is helping some local businesses navigate the pandemic and prepare for a more resilient future. We are engaging with Lake Michigan charter fishing captains in Illinois and Indiana to understand how COVID-19 has affected them and to provide information on government programs that can help stabilize their businesses. IISG is also leading a pilot-study project to help aquaculture producers receive critical training so they can process their fish in commercial kitchens during times when normal distribution channels are interrupted.

In other pressing subjects, this fall, IISG will host a series of virtual workshops to improve understanding of Lake Michigan’s changing water levels. In 2020, the lake repeatedly broke monthly high-water level records. With a focus on the southern Lake Michigan region, we are bringing together scientists and other experts who are engaged in lake-level changes and their effects. We envision that information generated through these workshops will inform the development of products, tools, and datasets that help communicate the risks associated with future water level changes, whether lake levels be high or low.

Finally, I’d like to share that IISG has brought back The Helm, the program’s long-running news publication. Now an annual magazine, The Helm is a collection of program research, outreach and education success stories and ongoing activities to address coastal concerns. This issue is focused on addressing urban flooding, the seafood trade deficit, critical natural resources, and more.

Tomas Höök
Director, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

 

Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant is a part of University of Illinois Extension and Purdue Extension.

IISG Instagram

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.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17847944430638356
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.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 18063625076281979
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.

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Open post by ilinseagrant with ID 17925527007208099
🎉 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.