A note to IAGLR members

Jun 13, 2025

Dear IAGLR member,

This year, the IAGLR Annual Conference on Great Lakes Research brought together over 600 participants from 18 countries, creating a welcoming environment that showcased the breadth and depth of Great Lakes science around the world. We celebrated the outstanding achievements of several scholars, including Dr. Deborah Lee, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, and Dr. John Hartig, who was honored with the Jack Vallentyne Award. For the complete list of honorees, please see our press releases announcing professional awards, journal awards, and  student scholarships/awards.

The conference also provided a forum for the IAGLR Board of Directors to share updates on the association’s activities and to discuss the challenges we’ve recently faced, especially those resulting from new U.S. policy restrictions. These changes significantly impacted participation from U.S. federal agencies, with about 20% of abstract submitters unable to attend. Canadian attendance was also lower than usual, with approximately 100 participants. These absences had a noticeable effect on the program, student presentation judging, and hotel bookings, resulting in some financial strain for the organization.

Despite these obstacles, IAGLR remains strong and resilient, thanks in large part to the commitment and generosity of our members and donors. Your continued engagement, including serving as manuscript reviewers, submitting articles to our publications, and supporting students, sustains the excellence of our annual conference and publications. These collective efforts are more important than ever and will help carry IAGLR forward through this time of transition.

We also remain committed to strong and stable leadership. While U.S. policy constraints affected our traditional leadership transition, the board acted to ensure continuity by extending Dr. Donna Kashian’s presidency for one additional year, with the support of past president Dr. Neil Rooney. We are also excited to welcome as our new vice president Dr. Noel Urban, a long-time U.S. board member and current chair of the Conference Committee.

Joining the board this year are:

• Dr. Mike McKay (Treasurer)
• Dr. Leigh McGaughey (Canadian Regular Member)
• Dr. Pengfei Xue (U.S. Regular Member)
• Navjot Dhaliwal (Canadian Student Member)

We thank all of you who have contributed to IAGLR’s mission and growth. Your support, participation, and dedication are what make this community thrive. We invite you to stay involved by joining a committee, providing feedback, or sharing your ideas as we continue working together to advance Great Lakes science.

With gratitude,

The IAGLR Board and Staff