Outreach and Education

The Annis Water Resources Institute (AWRI) operates its own research and education vessels, the D. J. ANGUS and the W. G. JACKSON, and offers the Water Resources Outreach Education Program for schools and community groups. Almost 122,000 students and others have experienced the Great Lakes and adjoining waters through this unique hands-on science program that features cruises on the vessels.  This experience addresses the new Grade Level Content Expectations for science and social studies as well as high school standards.

AWRI Outreach and Education reaches beyond just the vessels. Teachers and students can enjoy a variety of activities in the Annis Educational Foundation Classroom at the Lake Michigan Center. This includes teacher workshops and free classroom programs. The Hilt A/V Classroom hosts activities that need access to computers. Tours of the Lake Michigan Center, home of AWRI, can be arranged for community groups. Events such as seminars and workshops that link to the AWRI mission are held in the Lake Michigan Center's Community Foundation for Muskegon County Conference Room.

PROGRAMS

AWRI is affiliated with the Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment (GLOBE) program. GLOBE is an international student environmental monitoring program that links students with scientists. As a GLOBE partner, we offer teacher training and opportunities for students to come to the Lake Michigan Center to practice GLOBE protocols.

AWRI is the host organization for Michigan Project WET (Water Education for Teachers). There are over 40 Project WET facilitators in Michigan who present Project WET workshops to educators. Annual "Make a Splash with Project WET" water festivals reach hundreds of students per year.

AWRI produced the Air Quality Unit for the Michigan Environmental Curriculum Support project.  MEECS was funded by the Clean Michigan Initiative through the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.  AWRI hosts MEECS educator workshops in partnership with Math-Science Centers.

We can help with activities for Salmon in the Classroom and building remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) for underwater viewing.  Free tools for chemical management in schools have been developed under a grant from the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality.  

SPECIAL EVENTS

Special events of note include the Making Lake Michigan Great Tours funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Since 1998, the W.G. Jackson has traveled to 31 ports of call in Lake Michigan to spread the word about the U.S. EPA Lake Michigan Forum and the Lake Michigan Lakewide Management Plan.

AWRI has convened the Lake Michigan: State of the Lake Conference. Online abstracts are available for the Lake Michigan: State of the Lake '99 Conference [PDF], the Lake Michigan: State of the Lake '01 Conference [PDF] and the Lake Michigan: State of the Lake '03 Conference [PDF].

Contact Dr. Janet Vail at vailj@gvsu.edu or (616) 331-3048 for more information about outreach and education.