CIGLR’s ECO Team (left to right): Devin Gill (Engagement Specialist), Aubrey Lashaway (Communications Specialist), Mary Ogdahl (Program Manager), Michele Wensman (Outreach Specialist). Photo taken prior to COVID-19.



CIGLR ECO Team Recognized as NOAA Team Members of the Month!

CIGLR’s Engagement, Career Training, and Outreach and Communications (ECO) Team was recognized as National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Team Members of the Month in August 2020. NOAA included a spotlight on the team’s achievements as an example of how NOAA employees and affiliates have overcome shared challenges to keep bringing our vital services to the American public during the COVID-19 outbreak. The spotlight read as follows:

“The Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), working in concert with the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL), conducts integrated scientific research on the Great Lakes and coastal ecosystems, develops and transitions products and services, and shares knowledge and information to advance science, service, and stewardship. During the COVID-19 pandemic, CIGLR’s Engagement, Career Training, and Outreach and Communications Team (ECO) has taken prompt, creative approaches to maintain its communication of Great Lakes research and foster career training for the next generation of Great Lakes scientists. The ECO team adapted the 2020 Great Lakes Summer Fellowship Program to a virtual format to provide critical training opportunities for the next generation of Great Lakes scientists. The fellowship program included a series of virtual career development opportunities and research activities mentored by professional scientists. The ECO team also used social media to establish the Great Lakes Virtual Tabling, a program that has reached approximately 800,000 people and offers scientific activities, factsheets, and updates on Great Lakes research. ECO team’s rapid and inventive response to the pandemic has ensured continuous and safe public engagement with and education for the Great Lakes ecosystem.”

Congratulations Mary, Devin, Aubrey, and Michele!!