Reflections at year’s end
The year 2002 has been one of progress and change
at Michigan Sea Grant. The one constant has been a continuing determination
to conduct research, education and outreach to protect and enhance our
Great Lakes resources.
In April, the program marked the 25th anniversary of our unique partnership
between Michigan State University (MSU)
and the University of Michigan (UM).
Many of our Great Lakes partners made the trip to Lansing to help us
celebrate the event at the seat of state government. Several Michigan
Sea Grant researchers briefed the large audience on research progress
in the areas of coastal wetland protection, nutrient changes in the
upper Great Lakes and fishery dynamics.
In September, Michigan Sea Grant management conducted the biennial research
competition and selected five new projects for recommendation to the
National Sea Grant Office for support over the next two years. The innovative
projects take new approaches to advance our understanding of Great Lakes
fisheries, exotic species—particularly zebra mussel control options—and
the risk of contaminated sediments contained in wetlands. The projects
will be described in the next issue of Upwellings.
While these events have been unfolding, negotiations of a different
nature have been underway. For 15 years, the Michigan Sea Grant administrative
offices at UM have been located in the College of Engineering. Next
spring, Michigan Sea Grant and the Cooperative
Institute for Limnology and Ecosystems Research (CILER) will formally
become partners with the UM School
of Natural Resources and Environment (SNRE). The change will facilitate
greater cooperation and information-sharing among the three like-minded
entities. As part of the move, the University of Michigan will soon
be implementing a nationwide search for a person to be a faculty member
in SNRE and permanent director of Michigan Sea Grant.
These administrative changes were formally announced as part of UM’s
first annual Great Lakes symposium held on
campus November 5 and 6, 2002. The result of these events is more than
purely academic. The MSU-UM Sea Grant Management Team is determined
to expand the relevance and visibility of Michigan Sea Grant in the
Great Lakes community. As 2003 approaches, we look forward to building
on this momentum and continuing to improve the avenues of Great Lakes
research and education that benefit all of Michigan’s citizens
and provide the academic setting to educate future generations of Great
Lakes stewards.
George Carignan,
Michigan Sea Grant Interim Director
