FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 4, 2006

Sea Grant Awarded $2.5 Million for Great Lakes and Ocean Sciences Education

Students, educators and citizens around the Great Lakes region will soon have unprecedented learning opportunities to explore Great Lakes and ocean sciences. The approval of a $2.5 million regional Center for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) will provide Great Lakes scientists opportunities to interact with teachers and the general public in new and collaborative ways.

The National Science Foundation and NOAA-National Sea Grant announced funding support this week for COSEE Great Lakes, the eighth center in a nationwide network. Funds will be divided among seven programs that make up the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network: Illinois-Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. COSEE Great Lakes is expected to create dynamic connections between Great Lakes and ocean research and education with the goal of enhancing scientific literacy and environmental stewardship.

"Public understanding of Great Lakes and ocean sciences is essential to ensure the long term protection and health of these invaluable natural resources," said principal investigator Don Scavia, Michigan Sea Grant. "COSEE Great Lakes will serve as an excellent framework to link science and education for citizens of all ages."

A primary objective is to improve communication between researchers and 4-10 grade teachers and students and enhance teacher capabilities for delivering Great Lakes and ocean science education. Over the five-year program, more than 2,000 teachers throughout the region are expected to take part in COSEE Great Lakes activities and more than 350 researchers will help educate new audiences.

"We're looking forward to engaging educators, students and the public in ways that promote a deeper understanding of our freshwater seas and their influence on our quality of life and our national prosperity," said project leader, Rosanne Fortner, professor emeritus, The Ohio State University.

With its $325,000 share of the budget, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant (IISG) will lead the Sea Grant network in the collection of exemplary Great Lakes curriculum and develop a new Fresh and Salt curriculum. Fresh and Salt is a new innovative approach that will empower educators nationally to teach their students about the differences and similarities between Great Lakes and ocean ecosystems. IISG will also conduct a six-day, hands-on intensive workshop for teachers in Illinois and Indiana to prepare them to teach their students about critical Lake Michigan concerns--aquatic invasive species and toxic contaminants. Scholarships for teachers will be available. Shipboard experiences on research vessels will provide another vehicle for learning.

"We will also provide opportunities for real-world learning for students through community stewardship projects, which reinforce knowledge while addressing local environmental issues," said Robin Goettel, IISG education coordinator and COSEE investigator. "It's exciting to have our researchers and outreach specialists working together to help teachers, and ultimately students, develop a new understanding of key issues facing citizens in the Great Lakes region.

In the coming months, Great Lakes Sea Grant educators will be collaborating with more than 25 partners to coordinate COSEE activities and connect with local citizens. IISG will be working closely with Chicago Public Schools, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, John G. Shedd Aquarium, University of Illinois Extension, Purdue University Extension, University of Notre Dame, U.S. EPA-Great Lakes National Program Office, Alliance for the Great Lakes, and the Great Lakes Education and Research Center in the National Park Service.

For more information about COSEE Great Lakes in Illinois or Indiana, contact Goettel at (217) 333-9448 or goettel@illinois.edu  or contact Terri Hallesy at (217) 244-8809 or thallesy@illinois.edu.

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The Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program is one of more than 30 National Sea Grant College Programs. Created by Congress in 1966, Sea Grant combines university, government, business and industry expertise to address coastal and Great Lakes needs. Funding is provided by the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U. S. Department of Commerce, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Purdue University at West Lafayette, Indiana.

Irene Miles
Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant
376 NSRC
1101 W. Peabody Dr.
Urbana, Il 61801
Phone:  217-333-8055
Fax:  217-333-8046
miles@illinois.edu