News

2026 IAGLR board election results

Dec 4, 2025

Congratulations to the following members recently elected to the 2026 IAGLR Board of Directors. Their terms start in May 2026.

• Vice President: Suzanne Gray
• Canadian Regular Member: Sabina Rakhimbekova
• U.S. Regular Members: Cody Sheik and Heather Stirratt
• International Student Member: Sullamithe Mercy Manduwa
• U.S. Student Member: Julia Obuya

Thank you to all candidates who ran in the election!

Call for early career editors for JGLR

Nov 18, 2025

The Journal of Great Lakes Research is seeking two early career researchers to join the editorial board as an ECR editor. These newly created positions are intended to provide professional development for ECRs with strong interests in scientific publishing and peer review; to harness the enthusiasm and expertise of ECRs working in the natural and social sciences related to large lakes; and to more directly involve the next generation of large lakes researchers in the peer review and editorial process. At least one of the ECR editors will be from outside of Canada and the United States. View the position description and apply by January 31.

IAGLR & SCAS-SCSA 2026 Call for Abstracts is open! Due December 19

Nov 14, 2025

We invite you to participate in the 2026 Joint Conference of the International Association for Great Lakes Research and the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences. The conference will be held May 25–29, 2026, in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a hybrid event. Seventy-seven sessions have been proposed to complement the theme Connected Waters: Bridging Communities & Ideas. We welcome abstract submissions for both oral and poster presentations. View the Call for Abstracts for details. Submission deadline is Friday, December 19, 2025.

IAGLR & SCAS-SCSA 2026 Call for Abstracts is open!

Nov 14, 2025

We invite you to participate in the 2026 Joint Conference of the International Association for Great Lakes Research and the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences. The conference will be held May 25–29, 2026, in Winnipeg, Manitoba as a hybrid event. Seventy-seven sessions have been proposed to complement the theme Connected Waters: Bridging Communities & Ideas. We welcome abstract submissions for both oral and poster presentations. View the Call for Abstracts for details. Submission deadline is Friday, December 19, 2025.

2026 IAGLR board election is open

Nov 5, 2025

If you're a current member (2025 or 2026), check your email for your ballot, sent earlier today. If it's not in your inbox, please check your spam folder. It's a full ballot with great candidates eager to serve you and the association. Please take part and cast your ballot by Monday, November 24 at 6 p.m. Eastern.

This year, we ask you to vote on the following six positions:

• 1 Vice President: Suzanne Gray, Trevor Pitcher
• 1 Canadian Regular Member: Sommer Abdel-Fattah, Sabina Rakhimbekova, Christopher Wilkie
• 2 U.S. Regular Members: Haley Dalian, Jacob Kimmel, Cody Sheik, Marcia Silva, Heather Stirratt, Jai Tiarks
• 1 International Student Member: Christine Atuhaire, Sullamithe Mercy Manduwa, Edwin Wagah
• 1 U.S. Student Member: Hana Esber, Julia Obuya

Learn more about the candidates on the ballot!

IAGLR awarded Erb Family Foundation grant to boost inclusion and impact in Great Lakes science and policy

Oct 8, 2025

The International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) will receive $665,000 over three years from the Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation to strengthen inclusive research, improve the flow of scientific information to policy makers, media, and the public, and support the next generation of Great Lakes scientists. 

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Apply for an IDEA+ Workshop Award

Sep 2, 2025

Do you have an idea for a workshop that could expand inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility at our annual conference? Apply for the IDEA+ Workshop Award! This award provides support to host a workshop that broadens participation and engagement, especially from historically marginalized communities. Submit your application by November 1. We are now accepting applications for the IAGLR & SCAS-SCSA Joint Conference scheduled for May 25–29, 2026, in Winnipeg.

Scholarship applications now open

Sep 2, 2025

IAGLR awards scholarships each year to students pursuing research careers in the Great Lakes and beyond. Applications are open through November 1 for a variety of awards, from general scholarships to specialized support in fisheries, environmental statistics/modeling, diversity, and international travel to our conference. Please help spread the word by sharing this opportunity with students and colleagues in your network. Visit our Awards & Scholarships page for details.

Survey reveals impacts of U.S. federal actions on Great Lakes science

Aug 27, 2025

A new survey conducted by the IAGLR reveals deep concern among scientists about the effects of recent U.S. federal actions on Great Lakes research. The findings, published in the summer issue of Lakes Letter magazine (Science Under Threat), document widespread disruption to scientific programs, personal careers, and international collaborations that are critical to protecting and restoring the Great Lakes

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IAGLR & SCAS-SCSA 2026 Call for Sessions is open! Due September 19

Aug 11, 2025

We invite you to propose a session for the 2026 joint conference of the International Association for Great Lakes Research and the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences. The conference will be held May 25–29, 2026, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, as a hybrid event. Session chairs should be prepared to facilitate a session that welcomes both in-person and virtual oral presentations and audience participation. Visit the Call for Sessions for details, including session chair responsibilities and how to submit your proposal. Deadline: Friday, September 19, 2025

Website up for 2026 IAGLR & SCAS-SCSA Joint Conference

Aug 11, 2025

The website for the joint conference of IAGLR and the Society of Canadian Aquatic Sciences is now open! We'll post regularly as plans unfold so plan to visit regularly. We hope you'll join us in Winnipeg, Manitoba, May 25–29, 2026, for the event. Hosted by the IISD Experimental Lakes Area, the conference will be hybrid, so if you can't make it to Winnipeg in person, you're welcome to join us online. The conference theme—Connected Waters: Bridging Communities & Ideas—reflects our commitment to fostering dialogue across scientific, Indigenous, and local knowledge systems. It recognizes that healthy waters are sustained through relationships among diverse communities, disciplines, ecosystems, and ways of knowing, and it underscores the importance of collaboration in addressing aquatic challenges across Canada, the Great Lakes, and beyond. 

Join the IAGLR Board

Aug 6, 2025

Are you an IAGLR member interested in serving on the IAGLR Board of Directors or know someone who should? We're seeking candidates for the following positions:

• 1 Vice President (2026-2027, followed by a one-year term as President and a one-year term as Past President). Candidates should be current or past board members with at least one year of experience on IAGLR's Board of Directors or a similar nonprofit board.
• 1 Canadian Regular Member (three-year term, 2026-2029)
• 2 U.S. Regular Member (three-year term, 2026-2029)
• 1 U.S. Student Member (two-year term, 2026-2028)
• 1 International Student Member (two-year term, 2026-2028)

View the Call for Nominations for details and submit your nomination package online by Friday, October 10. Please help spread the word to potential candidates. Must be on IAGLR member to serve on the board, and terms start in May 2026.

Experts available to discuss how federal funds protect lives and livelihoods in the Great Lakes region

Jun 25, 2025

Federal investment in Great Lakes research doesn't just protect the waters' ecosystems, it bolsters safety and prosperity for the people who call the region home, according to a new peer-reviewed publication. Published by the International Association for Great Lakes Research, or IAGLR, the report was written by experts from institutions around the Great Lakes region, including the University of Michigan. Authors and IAGLR members are available for interviews about the wide-ranging benefits of this science supported by the public, for the public.

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A note to IAGLR members

Jun 13, 2025

A note to summarize the recent conference and annual business meeting, including changes to this year's board leadership.

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Student freshwater scientists honored at IAGLR research conference

Jun 9, 2025

The International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) recognized outstanding student scientists for their contributions to large lake science. The awards were announced last week at the association’s 68th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research in Milwaukee.

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Great Lakes science leaders honored at research conference

Jun 9, 2025

The International Association for Great Lakes Research honored several professionals at the association’s 68th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research last week in Milwaukee for their contributions to large lake science and IAGLR. 

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IAGLR announces journal, editor awards

Jun 9, 2025

The International Association for Great Lakes Research recognized several scientists at the association’s 68th Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research last week in Milwaukee for notable papers published in last year's Journal of Great Lakes Research, as well as for their outstanding support of the journal. 

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Share your story about impacts of U.S. federal actions

May 16, 2025

Widespread funding cuts, the rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, restrictions on international collaboration, and the dismissal of federal employees are having real and lasting effects—not only on large lake research, but on the people who carry it out. We invite you to share your story in an online survey. Your input will help us document and better understand the effects of these changes, enabling us to communicate them clearly to decision makers, partners, and the public. We plan to share preliminary results at the upcoming IAGLR conference in early June and feature key findings in a future issue of Lakes Letter magazine.

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May 12 last day to save on conference registration!

May 12, 2025

IAGLR 2025 will be here in three weeks! If you haven't registered yet, especially if you are a presenter, register today to take advantage of the last day of savings.

IAGLR joins CASS in comments urging science-based definition of WOTUS

Apr 23, 2025

In a letter to U.S. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, IAGLR joined eight other members of the Consortium of Aquatic Science Societies to call for the quick establishment of a science-based definition of the "waters of the U.S." (WOTUS) "that will allow the CWA to fulfill  its mandate to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation’s  waters."