Dr. Catherine Riseng joined Michigan Sea Grant as the new Research Program Manager on May 1, 2013. In this position, Riseng will manage the research functions of Michigan Sea Grant; oversee the call for proposals and the peer-review grant rating process; manage the program’s research portfolio; coordinate budgetary and reporting oversight for all research projects; and pursue research opportunities that contribute to the strategic plan of Michigan Sea Grant and expand the program’s research agenda. She will work out of the Ann Arbor office.
“Catherine brings a wealth of Great Lakes experience and connections with her,” said Jim Diana, Michigan Sea Grant director. “Her experience in managing multiple investigators will provide a solid foundation for program management and coordination with state and federal government, stakeholders, collaborating universities and Sea Grant professionals.”
Riseng’s research interests include a broad range of ecological and environmental issues — from how changes in land use influence stream ecosystems to the effect of invasive species on Great Lakes ecosystems.
“Michigan Sea Grant offers a unique combination of research, outreach and education that can bring focus to help solve problems in our coastal communities, and I am very excited to be able to contribute to the Sea Grant research program,” said Riseng. “I am looking forward to working with the Great Lakes research community and outreach specialists to further Sea Grant’s Integrated Assessment program and evaluation of other ‘wicked’ problems facing coastal communities.”
Currently, she is directing a collaborative research project called the Great Lakes Aquatic Habitat Framework (GLAHF). The main objective of the project is to develop an accessible spatial geodatabase for aquatic habitat in the Great Lakes basin. Working in collaboration with the International Joint Commission, Riseng and partners will assist with efforts to develop water quality indicators identified as part of the 2012 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.
Previously, Riseng managed the benthos portion of the U.S. EPA’s GLNPO large-scale biological monitoring of Great Lakes open water and nearshore habitat. She holds a Ph.D. in aquatic ecology from the University of Michigan-School of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE). Riseng has been an Assistant Research Scientist at SNRE since 2009, where she also teaches.
Catherine can be reached at (734) 936-3622 or criseng@umich.edu
About the Michigan Sea Grant Research Program
Michigan Sea Grant supports research that studies an array of issues affecting the Great Lakes and Michigan’s coastal areas, following an Integrated Assessment approach. The goal is to develop information, create tools and build partnerships that will improve decision making for particularly challenging coastal issues in the state. Michigan Sea Grant also seeks out research opportunities and partnerships that align with program goals. For example, the program recently received grant money to pursue several projects under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
See: www.miseagrant.umich.edu/research/
What: The Sturgeon Festival is a one-day event offering close encounters with these “Gentle Giants of the Great Lakes.” Lake sturgeon are the Great Lakes’ largest fish that live very long lives. The festival will feature a Huron Lady Sturgeon Cruise and indoor and outdoor exhibits along the shores of the St. Clair River, including a live sturgeon on display, showcasing these prehistoric creatures.
The Michigan Travel Commission and the Tourism Industry Coalition of Michigan presented the awards at the Pure Michigan Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Detroit.
