✨ Start Your New Year with Great Lakes Learning! ✨ Kick off 2026 by exploring the Center for Great Lakes Literacy Resource Library. It’s your one-stop hub for lesson plans, activities, and tools to bring Great Lakes science into your teaching setting. 🌊 Dive in today: cgll.org/resource-lib...

Join us for a hands-on Project WET Make-and-Take Workshop. 💲 Cost: $25 (includes lunch) 🗓️ Registration ends Feb 26. ✅ 3rd–8th grade formal & informal educators ✅ Earn 6 PD hours ✅ Leave with ready-to-use water education kits aligned to Common Core & NGSS Learn more: iiseagrant.org/education/pr...

Register Now for HASTI 2026! The early bird registration rate expires tomorrow! ✅ Don’t miss this opportunity to connect with fellow educators and bring new tools to your classroom! 📅 Event Details & Registration: hasti.org/event-6248208

Managing aquaculture finances can be tough, but knowing what to track (and when to spend or save) is key. Join this webinar series for practical tips on farm finance management. All sessions at 12pm ET; recordings provided + posted on YouTube. Learn more: greatlakesaquaculture.org/aquaculture-...

Educators—this is for you! Unlock the potential of Great Lakes education with the latest issue of the Center for Great Lakes Literacy newsletter. Explore exciting opportunities like vessel-based learning, an aquaculture competition, and classroom-ready resources! conta.cc/3Y9zZld

This fall, our staff made a splash at the @ILSciTeaching Conference, @sheddaquarium Educators’ Conference, and the Place-Based Education Conference. Sign up for our Education Newsletter to follow us in 2026! iiseagrant.org/education/su... Photos by Michigan Sea Grant & Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant

🌊 Save the Date! 🌊 Shipboard Science Immersion 2026 Join the Center for Great Lakes Literacy aboard the R/V Lake Guardian on Lake Superior, July 7–14, 2026! ✅ Open to formal & nonformal educators (grades 5–12) across the Great Lakes region. 📅 Applications open Jan 2026 cgll.org/signature-pr...

Join the ICC for an exciting webinar featuring Dr. Chris Taylor from the Illinois Natural History Survey who will provide an overview of midwestern crayfish habitat requirements, feeding, reproductive biology, and life-history. Register for the webinar at InvasiveCrayfish.org/events1

This fall, our team took advantage of several opportunities to showcase our engaging educational programs at outreach events. One highlight included the Great Plankton Race, where participants built plankton models and tested various adaptations that help this vital part of the food web survive.

Tomorrow is the last day to register for our in-person seminar!

The 2025 issue of Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant’s magazine, The Helm, is now available! This annual publication is a collection of program research, outreach and education success stories, as well as ongoing activities to address coastal concerns. Dive in! iiseagrant.org/the-helm-mag...

This Halloween, we’re diving into the eerie depths of the Great Lakes who each have their own spooky story, like Lake Superior hides ghost ships beneath its icy waves... Never fear, we have resources to help you make these fascinating topics less frightening at iiseagrant.org/education.

Join us November 5th and November 12th seminars on the latest fish biology, ecology, and fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan. Learn more and register: purdue.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

In this Students Ask Scientists session, learn how Anna Hill uses acoustic telemetry to track fish like yellow perch in Lake Michigan. 📅 Date: November 6, 2025 🕚 Time: 11:00 AM–12:00 PM CT 💻 Location: Zoom (Pre-registration required) Learn more: www.seagrant.wisc.edu/our-work/foc...

Join us at Illinois Beach State Park for Fall Nature Fest, a free, family-friendly event featuring guided hikes, hands-on activities, and interactive exhibits for all ages. Register today to receive event updates: www.eventbrite.com/e/illinois-b...

Looking for engaging, place-based literacy resources this school year? The Great Lakes: Our Freshwater Treasure by Barb Rosenstock is a beautifully illustrated dive into the geology, ecology, and history of our Great Lakes! 📖 Learn more: barbrosenstock.com/books/the-gr...

Educators from IL and IN gathered for a two-day workshop exploring water’s role in Earth’s systems. Using Project WET’s Water in Earth Systems, they dove into hands-on aquatic science at Indiana Dunes to bring Great Lakes learning to life in classrooms! Read more: cgll.org/resource/edu...

Tomas Höök reflects on his legacy as IISG Director—growing programs, fostering collaboration, and driving Great Lakes impact. Read more about his journey and what’s next at Purdue: iiseagrant.org/tomas-hook-r...

Join the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative webinar Sept 12, 11am CT/12pm ET! 🦞 Dr. William Ota (MSU) presents on red swamp crayfish movement using radio & acoustic telemetry. Register here 👉 illinois.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

🚤 Illinois Natural History Survey and @ilinseagrant.bsky.social scientists received a grant to help boaters & harbormasters fight invasive aquatic plants. These invaders crowd out native species, reduce fish populations & overtake lakes & streams. 👉 Learn more: loom.ly/9CWs8C0

The Grand Calumet River's 13 miles meander across northwest Indiana, flanked by old and new industries, such as steel mills, meatpackers and oil refineries, which dumped a noxious mix of heavy metals and chemicals into its waters before federal regulations.

Fresh, healthy, sustainable—Great Lakes seafood has it all! Support local fishers & farmers and find fresh fish near you at FreshFishFinder.org. youtu.be/Hi0gsj0aoBw?...

Fill your bait bucket with the Great Lakes Fresh Fish Finder! And when the day’s done, don’t dump unused bait—it can harm our lakes and spread invasive species. Be a Hero, Transport Zero: Don’t Dump Bait. Remove it. Dispose of it. Drain it. Never release it. www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVGC...

Who: 9-12th grade educators with a freshwater aquarium in their classroom Interested? Contact Amy Shambach ([email protected]) or Julie Fiorito ([email protected]).

Stay safe and have fun this Fourth of July with these 5 water safety tips! Click the link in our bio to learn more ways to enjoy our Lake Michigan beaches with keeping yourself and others safe.

Educators—Explore Restoration in Action! Join us Thursday, July 31 at Purdue Northwest (Hammond, IN) for a FREE full-day workshop 🚍 Tour restored sites 🧠 Engage with VR curriculum 📚 Earn 6 PD hours 🥐 Breakfast & lunch included 🔗 Register at the link in bio

Big news from Illinois‑Indiana Sea Grant! We’re thrilled to announce Dr. Stuart Carlton, our Assistant Director since 2018, will step into the Director role on July 14, 2025. Join us in congratulating Stuart, and read on at the link in bio to find out more about the transition!

Only 11 spots left! 🎣 #Science educators: Join #Purdue Extension, @ilinseagrant.bsky.social, & @miseagrant.bsky.social June 26–27 for a FREE #Aquaculture Teacher Workshop! 🧪🍎 💰 $250 stipend 🔧 Build an #aquaponics system to take home! 🔗 z.umn.edu/glac_aq-teac... #EduSky

Was so happy to speak with the @ilinseagrant.bsky.social and the Sea Grant community last month! 🚰 Disparities in Contamination by PFAS in US Community Water Systems Top line: EJ research & action will continue even as federal momentum shifts to oppose it! youtu.be/m6GJWwxNNvE?...

IISG is hiring a part-time pollution prevention outreach assistant. IISG’s pollution prevention team addresses water quality issues affecting the Great Lakes coasts and the inland waters of Illinois and Indiana. Learn more and apply at the link in bio.

Today is the final day to submit proposals!

Join the Invasive Crayfish Collaborative for an exciting webinar featuring educator and author Rick Reynolds. Rick will demonstrate how to engage grade 2-12 students using the newly developed science curriculum "Investigating Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems". Register at the link in bio.

We are excited to offer the opportunity to propose a speaker or panel session during the 2026 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference April 28-29 which featured the latest in emerging contaminant research, policies, and outreach. Deadline to propose a session: June 16, 2025. #linkinbio

Congress is finalizing the FY26 budget, & federal funding for Sea Grant programs across the country—including Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant—is uncertain. Add your name to our sign-on letter urging Congress to support continuation of programs benefiting the Great Lakes Scan the QR code to take action.

Out with the old. A newly updated UnwantedMeds.org is here to make safe disposal of old medications easier than ever. Read more at the link in bio.

We are excited to offer the opportunity to propose a speaker or panel session during the 2026 Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference April 28-29 which featured the latest in emerging contaminant research, policies, and outreach. Deadline to propose a session: June 16, 2025. #linkinbio

Join the ICC for an exciting webinar featuring Purdue’s master's student Izzy Paulsen. Izzy will share her mixed method study exploring how & why teachers use live crayfish & their interest in outreach. Register at the link in bio.

Only 2 days left to apply! Applications due April 9.

This week! Don't forget to register!! Please share! Join us for a seminar on the latest fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan! Learn more & register: bit.ly/IISG-fisheri... @ilinseagrant.bsky.social @illinoisdnr.bsky.social @prairieresearch.bsky.social

Calling all 6-12th grade educators! Register by April 1 for a FREE hands-on workshop exploring the lessons of the new Crayfish and Freshwater Ecosystems Curriculum at the Dunes Learning Center on April 15! Space is limited, so register today at forms.gle/rS2cUEKm4e6qthLw7.

@ilinseagrant.bsky.social is one of 34 Sea Grant programs that are partnerships between @noaa.gov + universities to serve coastal communities. Sea Grant punches above its weight in terms of return on investment - in 2022, a federal investment of $89.5 mil resulted in $802.3 mil in economic benefits

Join us for a seminar on the latest fisheries science happening in Lake Michigan! Learn more & register: bit.ly/IISG-fisheri... National Sea Grant College Program @ilinseagrant.bsky.social Purdue Forestry and Natural Resources @illinoisdnr.bsky.social @prairieresearch.bsky.social

The Great Lakes BioBlitz is pleased to kick off this year’s event with a special webinar. Register today to learn some of the ways citizen science platforms are used to document locations, species diversity, and local phenology in diverse ecosystems. When: April 9 Register at the link in bio.

Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your teaching skills and connect with fellow educators! Join us for a two-day, water-themed workshop on August 8-9, 2025, at the Dunes Learning Center located in Indiana Dunes National Park. Apply by April 1. More info at the link in bio.

Meet IISG grad student scholar, Leah Turner! Leah is a second-year master’s student in the Department of Biology at Ball State. Leah works in the Ward Lab, studying the effects of environmental contaminants on the behavior and cognition of fish at early life stages. Learn more at the link in bio.

Ready, Set … Action! Watch this video to learn the fascinating stories of 10 groundbreaking, game-changing, trailblazing #WomenOfNOAA: www.noaa.gov/heritage/mul... #WomensHistoryMonth

Reminder to apply by March 5!! IISG has a new funding opportunity for promising two-year research projects addressing issues relevant to the southern Lake Michigan ecosystem and the surrounding communities in northeast Illinois and northwest Indiana. Learn more at the link in bio.

Had a great time at HASTI meeting 60+ educators and sharing resources on Lake Michigan, natural resources, and aquaponics! Megan Gunn’s session sparked great discussions, and a big congrats to Abi Bymaster for winning the HASTI 2025 Outstanding Outdoor Lab award! 🎉

🚨🚨 New episode alert! 🚨🚨 Teach Me About the Great Lakes episode 106 is out! Kelly House joins TMATGL to talk about her work, why journalism matters, and what gives her hope for the future of her profession and the natural world. Tune in: teachgreatlakes.transistor.fm/106