February 5, 2020

Wisconsin Sea Grant to provide over $5.8 million for Great Lakes research, education and outreach

The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program announced a more than $5.8 million 2020-22 omnibus grant to fund Great Lakes research, education and outreach, including a STEM education project taking place in the area and a research project at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

Fund will include a STEM education project taking place in the area and a research project at UW-Superior

The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program recently announced a more than $5.8 million 2020-22 omnibus grant to fund Great Lakes research, education and outreach, including a STEM education project taking place in the area and a research project at the University of Wisconsin-Superior.

“For the coming two years, just as in our program’s preceding 52 years, our outreach and education activities and funded research will go forward on the basis of scientific integrity and relevance. The Great Lakes are a true treasure and we’re privileged to undertake this work to ensure their continued sustainability,” said Jim Hurley, Sea Grant director.

Details on the education project and the research initiative are:

Deanna Erickson with the Lake Superior National Estuarine Research Reserve is pairing with the Bad River Watershed Association to mentor teachers to integrate Great Lakes literacy into their curriculum through outdoor and inquiry-based learning using Lake Superior as a springboard for their project.
In a project that will begin in 2021, Dr. Richard Stewart and Dr. Daniel Rust, both in the School of Business and Economics, will examine how reduced lake ice coverage resulting from climate variability will impact commercial marine transportation, ports and shippers. Researchers will model the changes in marine transportation from reduced ice cover, and the results will provide data and models that can be used by commercial ports.

The two-year grant will support a total of 15 research projects that explore the freshwater seas, as well as three education and 32 outreach ones.

In addition to the UW-Superior-based work, scientists on the Green Bay and its Manitowoc campus, Madison, Milwaukee and Stevens Point campuses of the University of Wisconsin System, as well as St. Norbert College, will be funded.

In projects other than those at UW-Superior, researchers will look at addressing beach contamination to make it safer for people to swim, the effect of high water levels on infrastructure and bluffs, and more.

Nearly 100 researchers, educators, staff and students will be engaged in this work, Hurley said.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce, provides funding for this work through the National Sea Grant College Program. The state of Wisconsin provides a match for the federal funds - 50-cents on the dollar.

Departments/Offices

UW-Superior Faculty/Staff

Conceived in 1966, Sea Grant is a national network of 34 university-based programs of research, outreach, and education for enhancing the practical use and conservation of coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources to create a sustainable economy and environment. The National Sea Grant Network is a partnership of participating coastal states, private industry, and the National Sea Grant College Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.