GLIN==> COSEE Great Lakes Funding Announced

Sea Grant Collaboration Awarded $2.5 Million to Support 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 science and the connection to the world's oceans, following approval of a $2.5 million regional Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence (COSEE). With the same project, Great Lakes scientists will have opportunities to meet their education and public audiences in new collaborative ways.

The National Science Foundation and NOAA-National Sea Grant announced funding support this week for COSEE Great Lakes, the tenth center in a nationwide network. Funds will be provided to seven regional Sea Grant programs to support a suite of educational opportunities united under the COSEE framework. COSEE Great Lakes is expected to create dynamic linkages 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. "COSEE Great Lakes will serve as an excellent framework to link science and education for citizens of all ages."

COSEE Great Lakes is a collaborative effort of the Great Lakes Sea Grant Network and includes programs in Michigan, Illinois-Indiana, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. Some of the activities planned include lake exploration workshops, tools and educational materials using the Great Lakes Observing System, Great Lakes curriculum enhancement and integration with ocean topics, and interactive learning events linking researchers with educators, students and the public.

A primary objective is to improve communication between researchers and 4-10th 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 along with more than 350 researchers, who 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 co-investigator Rosanne Fortner.

In the coming months, Sea Grant educators will be collaborating with more than 25 partners to coordinate COSEE activities and connect with Great Lakes citizens.

For more information on COSEE Great Lakes, contact the following Sea Grant education coordinators:
? Illinois/Indiana: Robin Goettel, goettel@uiuc.edu
? Michigan: Steve Stewart, stew@msu.edu
? Minnesota: Bruce Munson, bmunson@d.umn.edu
? Ohio: Rosanne Fortner, fortner.2@osu.edu
? Pennsylvania: Anne Danielski, add118@psu.edu
? Wisconsin: Jim Lubner, jflubner@seagrant.wisc.edu
? New York: Helen Domske, hmd4@cornell.edu

The Great Lakes Sea Grant Network is part of NOAA-National Sea Grant, a network of 30 Sea Grant programs dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of marine and Great Lakes resources.

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