News

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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.

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."

IAGLR in the News

Apr 17, 2025

We've added a new page to capture IAGLR's appearance in the media. Check out IAGLR in the News, also linked from the top navigation under News & Events and Outreach. Send a note if you come across something we should add.

Student Travel Award deadline extended - April 10

Apr 8, 2025

Apply for an IAGLR Student Travel Award, which provides support for IAGLR student members to attend the annual conference. Deadline extended through April 10. First come, first served as funds allow.

Vallentyne Award deadline extended

Mar 27, 2025

We welcome your nominations for the John R. (Jack) Vallentyne Award, which recognizes important and sustained efforts to inform and educate the public and policymakers on large lakes issues. Submit by the new deadline, April 11.

IAGLR joins Michigan organizations in voicing concerns over withholding federal funding to nonprofits

Mar 26, 2025

IAGLR joined more than 500 organizations from Michigan's nonprofit and philanthropic sector in signing a letter to Michigan's Congressional Delegation voicing our concerns with the continued efforts to withhold federal funding committed to nonprofits. "The ongoing uncertainty caused by the federal administration’s attempted broad and arbitrary freeze on funding erodes long-standing public/private collaborations that reliably drive Michigan's social and economic vitality."

2025 GLFC Student Travel Awards

Mar 18, 2025

The Great Lakes Fishery Commission is now accepting applications for the 2025 GLFC Student Travel Award. Two awards are available for up to USD $1,500 each. Applications are due April 15th, and awards are announced early May. The award promotes academic excellence by encouraging students to present their graduate research results at scientific conferences. The travel award is awarded annually to M.Sc. or Ph.D. students whose research is likely to make a significant contribution to understanding Great Lakes aquatic ecology and fishery science. Learn more and apply.

IAGLR joins scientific societies in speaking out against U.S. administration’s harmful actions

Mar 3, 2025

IAGLR joins a broad coalition of scientific professional societies led by the Union of Concerned Scientists and representing nearly 100,000 scientists in speaking out against harmful actions of the U.S. administration that threaten American science and  the health and safety of our communities.

Standing up for Great Lakes science

Feb 28, 2025

The International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) issued a statement this week condemning recent U.S. federal actions that jeopardize scientific progress and the health of the Great Lakes.

IAGLR, ACARE announce strategic partnership to strengthen global freshwater research

Feb 27, 2025

The International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) and the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education (ACARE) are pleased to announce a formal partnership through a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the years 2025–2029. This collaboration builds on shared goals of advancing freshwater science, promoting education and mentorship, and fostering global cooperation in large lake research.