January 2021
Michigan Sea Grant seeks research proposals for 2022-2024 funding period
Michigan Sea Grant is soliciting proposals for innovative research projects for the 2022-2024 funding period.
We will support three types of research in this funding cycle:
- Integrated Assessment – Research that uses Integrated Assessment methods to address important social and ecological issues affecting the Great Lakes, up to $75,000 per year.
- Core research – Basic core research on issues currently affecting the Great Lakes ecosystem, up to $100,000 per year.
- Graduate student research fellowships – Graduate student (M.S. or Ph.D.) research fellowships for one or two years, up to $50,000 total per fellowship.
Requests for proposals (RFPs) for research projects are issued every two years. Research proposals are selected for funding through a competitive, peer-reviewed process. Researchers are required to submit a pre-proposal to be able to submit a full proposal. Review of the pre-proposal will provide feedback that will help proposals be more competitive under this RFP.
Additional information is available on our website.
Michigan Sea Grant is hiring!
We are looking for an Administrative Project Coordinator to join the team in our Ann Arbor office. The position’s responsibilities will be divided among the administrative, financial, and research programs within Michigan Sea Grant. We are accepting applications through the University of Michigan careers site through February 9.
From Finalist to Fellow: The beginning of So-Jung Youn’s Knauss journey
So-Jung Youn recently joined the 2021 cohort of the prestigious Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, which provides a unique educational experience to students who have an interest in ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources and in the national policy decisions affecting those resources.
A Ph.D. candidate at the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University under Dr. William Taylor, So-Jung’s dissertation research is focused on the ecosystem services that the lake whitefish commercial fishery provides to Great Lakes coastal communities in Michigan. Through the fellowship, she hopes to learn how science is translated into policy creation and implementation, ultimately helping to enhance and conserve natural resources.
So-Jung recently wrote a post for Michigan Sea Grant’s fellowship blog about diving into her Knauss year. Read her post here.
2022 Knauss applications now open
Applications are now open for the 2022 Knauss Fellowship; they are due February 19, 2021. The program matches graduate students with host agencies in Washington, D.C., such as congressional offices, the National Marine Fisheries Service, or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For one year, fellows work on a range of policy and management projects related to ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources. Fellows can be placed in the federal legislative or executive branches.
The fellowship runs from February 1, 2022, through January 31, 2023. Any student who is in a graduate or professional program in a marine or aquatic-related field at a U.S. accredited institution of higher education may apply. Find more details and application guidelines on the fellowship webpage.
Catch up on video sessions from Great Lakes Aquaculture Day
The first Great Lakes Aquaculture Day, held virtually on October 10, 2020, provided an opportunity for folks interested in aquaculture to gather and network.
The day’s agenda included a session for people interested in getting into fish farming, a frank discussion of how the COVID-19 pandemic had affected various businesses in the region, results from a consumer survey about farmed fish, and more. The morning and afternoon talks were followed by cooking demonstrations from a Wisconsin chef, and a live cooking competition featuring three culinary students.
The whole day was recorded and has been split into easy-to-digest videos organized by session. Be sure to catch up on the day, enjoy the cooking competition, and get excited for Great Lakes Aquaculture Day 2021!
Watch recorded Water School webinars
Four videos from the 2020 Water School webinar series are now available for free online. Michigan Water School is a program to help elected and appointed officials increase their knowledge about water management and gain access to tools and resources to help impact their local economy. The four-part webinar series features speakers and panel discussions on topics related to water quality, quantity, policy, and economics.
Did you know? Michigan Sea Grant is on Instagram!
On the calendar
Mark your calendars for these upcoming virtual events, and keep an eye on Michigan Sea Grant’s events page for up-to-date details and links.
- The Thunder Bay International Film Festival is going on now! Films are available as livestreams or on-demand now through January 31, 2021. Buy an all-access pass for the whole festival, get tickets for individual films, or catch the free entertainment (including a series of videos about aquaculture and cooking demonstrations from Michigan Sea Grant and Wisconsin Sea Grant). Access the event here.
- Do the winter blues have you down? On Tuesdays and Thursdays from January 26 through February 9, join the Life of the Straits, Winter Edition! Broadcasts are live on Zoom at 6 pm and will be available online afterward. Explore the variety of winter activities that can be done in the Straits of Mackinac region, right from the comfort of home. Learn how to partake safely and where to find the equipment you might need to go ice fishing, snowshoeing, and more. Find the full series line-up and registration information here.
- Friends of the Detroit River and Michigan Sea Grant invite you to Shiver on the River, a virtual celebration of Belle Isle and the Detroit River. Join us on February 12 at 2-3 pm on Zoom — and don’t miss the drawing for a copy of Beautiful Belle Isle, a guide to exploring the wonders of Belle Isle on your own! Register for free here.
- Catch the upcoming Steelhead Fishery Workshop, hosted online by Dan O’Keefe on February 25 at 6-8:30 pm. The workshop will provide a variety of perspectives on steelhead biology, harvest limits, and community science opportunities. Get the agenda and registration details here.
- Tune in on March 3 at 3-4:30 pm for a webinar about “Winter on the Great Lakes: Ice, evaporation, and water level impacts,” from Michigan Sea Grant and partners including the National Weather Service. Register here.
- Join the 2021 Great Lakes Conference, held by the Michigan State University Institute of Water Research. The virtual conference will be held on March 9 at 9:15 am-2:30 pm. Conference sessions will highlight food webs, invasive species, lake whitefish, and more. Register for free here.
Undergraduate internship applications now open
Michigan Sea Grant’s undergraduate internship program coordinates and funds students working on summer Great Lakes stewardship projects. Each internship pairs a student with a business, nonprofit, government agency, or academic institution that can help support and guide the project.
This year, in addition to proposing their own projects, students also have the opportunity to apply for a project submitted by a partner organization.
Michigan Sea Grant encourages applicants from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from economically or educationally disadvantaged backgrounds. Michigan Sea Grant is committed to diversity and multiculturalism through staff training and organizational development for employees to help them provide effective and inclusive programs for the diverse residents of Michigan’s communities.
The application closes on March 1, 2021. Further details and application guidelines are available on the internship webpage.
Partner spotlight
Our friends at the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR) are also recruiting student applicants for their summer fellowship program.
In partnership with NOAA’s Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), CIGLR hosts a cohort of students each summer to participate in the Great Lakes Summer Fellows Program. Check out this video series highlighting CIGLR’s 2020 fellows, their research, and the virtual fellowship program. Interested in the 2021 Great Lakes Summer Fellow Program? Learn more and apply.
Massive tagging study reinforces link between alewife densities and Chinook salmon growth patterns
By Chiara Zuccarino-Crowe
Results highlight how historically low alewife densities observed in recent prey fish assessments can affect the quality of the Lake Michigan salmon fishery.
Cleaning up the Detroit River
By Mary Bohling
2020 was another good year for habitat restoration and sediment investigation on the Detroit River but water levels created some unexpected issues.
Entering the job stream with an aquatic sciences degree? Check out these programs to scale up your career!
By Heather Triezenberg
Effective public engagement skills benefit science, society, and enhance aquatic sciences careers.
Sea Grant surveys document impact of COVID-19 on Michigan’s charter fishing industry
By Daniel O’Keefe
Preliminary results show revenues were down over $6 million from 2019, but fishing was beginning to bounce back by late summer.
When do you need Seafood HACCP certification?
By Lauren Jescovitch
Fish processing regulations in Michigan require this specialized training for specific products.
Effective partnership-building and communication skills are key for scientific research to benefit society
By Jennifer Hunnell and Heather Triezenberg
Students attending a professional development workshop gained skills to further their work on complex water quality issues.