June 18, 2018
TORONTO — More than 800 scientists from around the world begin arriving at the University of Toronto Scarborough today, as the 61st annual Conference on Great Lakes Research gets underway. Throughout the week, researchers will share the latest scientific findings about the world's large lakes and explore how to support vital research efforts needed to manage and protect these lakes.
Great Science for Tomorrow’s Solutions is the theme of the conference, convened by the International Association for Great Lakes Research and hosted by UTSC, June 18-22. More than 700 oral and poster presentations will delve into topics ranging from harmful algal blooms, invasive carps, and plastics in the Great Lakes, to native fishes, restoration efforts, coastal resilience, and more.
KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Four keynotes will be live streamed throughout the week, from 11:40 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT on the day indicated.
Tue., June 19
Howard Wheater is Canada Excellence Research Chair in Water Security, founding director of the Global Institute for Water Security at the University of Saskatchewan, and distinguished research fellow and emeritus professor of hydrology at Imperial College London. A leading expert in hydrological science and modeling, he will be speaking on Water Security and the Science Agenda.
Wed., June 21
Dianne Saxe is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario. In her talk titled A Growing Problem: Addressing Algae Blooms in the Great Lakes she will use the history of algal blooms to illustrate and illuminate some dynamics of the science/policy interface. She will share her observations on chronic challenges faced by the research and policy communities and will offer her perspectives on opportunities for Great Lakes science.
Thu., June 21
Robert Costanza is Vice Chancellor’s Chair in Public Policy, Crawford School of Public Policy at the Australian National University. In his talk on Valuing and Managing Aquatic Ecosystem Services, he calls for a deeper understanding of the interconnections among human psychology and decision processes, ecosystem processes and functions, and economic production and consumption processes at multiple time and space scales.
Fri., June 22
Yves Prairie is a professor of biology at the Université du Québec à Montréal. In his talk on The Carbon Footprint of Lakes: From Transformation Processes to Large-Scale Patterns, he discusses the need to improve our understanding of the connection between small-scale processes and large-scale patterns to better predict the future role of lakes at all scales.
FEATURED DISCUSSIONS
Wed., June 20, 4-5:20 p.m. EDT
Town Hall: An International Decade of Great Lakes Exploration and Research
The Laurentian Great Lakes are valuable, fascinating systems undergoing significant change, but support for scientific research has not kept pace with the current and future need for fundamental, process-oriented investigation and exploration. This town hall session is directed at formulating a program of fundamental and strategic science under the concept of an “International Decade of Great Lakes Research and Exploration.” The goal is to generate new knowledge and understanding to match our commitment to Great Lakes restoration and ensure the greatest return on investment for lasting social and ecological impact. Contact: Val Klump, [email protected]
Thu., June 21, 4-4:40 p.m. EDT
Fostering International Research and Collaboration on African Great Lakes
The session Emerging Partnerships, Research, and Capacity in the African Great Lakes focuses on both the results of research conducted on the African Great Lakes as well as the benefits and challenges of conducting research in Africa. The session will conclude with a facilitated discussion among key participants focusing on how to best facilitate international research and collaborations on the African Great Lakes. Contact: Ted Lawrence, [email protected]
Fri., June 22, 8:40-11:40 a.m. & 1:40-3 p.m. EDT
Looking into the Future: Exploring Opportunities for the IJC's Science Advisory Board
This facilitated discussion wraps up session titled The IJC's Science Advisory Board Review of Current Priorities and Projects. The goal is to generate a list of priority topics and opportunities for the SAB to increase the relevance of its science advice to governments. Contact: Matthew Child, Physical Scientist, IJC, 519-257-6706, [email protected]
CONTACTS
University of Toronto Scarborough
George Arhonditsis, Conference Site Chair
(416) 208-4858
[email protected]
Mathew Wells, Conference Program Chair
[email protected]
IAGLR
Erin Dunlop, President
(705) 755-2296
[email protected]
Twitter: @airydunlop
Christine Manninen, Conference Coordinator
(734) 560-8598
[email protected]
Join in the conversation on Twitter: @IAGLR and #IAGLR2018
The International Association for Great Lakes Research is a scientific organization made up of researchers studying the Laurentian Great Lakes, other large lakes of the world, and their watersheds, as well as those with an interest in such research. With its mission to promote all aspects of large lakes research and communicate research findings, IAGLR is uniquely positioned to foster the connection between science and policy, a connection vital for effective management and protection of the world’s large lakes.
