A closer look at web tools and sites that boost research and empower Great Lakes communities to secure a healthy environment and economy.
Hundreds of invasive species are on the loose in U.S. waters wreaking havoc on habitats, recreation, and economies. Fortunately, a team of student detectives are on the case and ready to book these “bad guys” with help from Nab the Aquatic Invader!
This educational website turns students grades 4-10 into PIs hot on the trail of some of the worst invaders in their region. After brushing up on detailed profiles complete with interrogation recordings, students take part in ongoing investigations led by veteran gumshoes. Whether they join as junior detectives or super sleuths, students learn to ID the suspects, expose the damage they cause, and stop invaders before they strike again.
The site also includes a teacher Top Desk Administrator with example projects that give students a chance to share what they’ve learned with their communities. Along with detailed summary reports, these examples make it easy for teachers to plan and implement successful AIS stewardship projects in their own classroom.
But you don’t have to go online to crack a case. A suite of card games and posters inspired by the website are also available. Students and adults alike can even join the hunt for the most wanted AIS at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in D.C. and at Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers throughout the country.
Nab the Aquatic Invader! was created by IISG and Sea Grant programs in New York, Louisiana, Connecticut, and Oregon.
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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.
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.
Trash talk + trivia + Great Lakes science at a brewery on Earth Day.
Science Sips: Trash Talk about Chicago Waterways brought together researchers, curious locals, and trivia bingo to talk about what’s really floating in Lake Michigan and what we can do about it.
Thank you to everyone who came out and to @sketchbookbrew for hosting!
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.
