Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) recently attended this year’s International Association for Great Lakes Research (IAGLR) conference. This event is an annual gathering of researchers, scientists, and partners committed to advancing the science and management of the Great Lakes and other large lake ecosystems. This year’s event highlighted the urgent need for collaboration across borders, sectors, and disciplines to tackle shared water challenges.

Max Herzog, Emily Hamilton, and Jeff Pu represented CWA in a range of sessions and discussions focused on participatory science, water data, innovation, and the infrastructure needed to support the future of our water economy.

Elevating Participatory Science Across the Region

Max Herzog co-chaired a full-day session on participatory science, featuring over 20 presentations from across the Great Lakes. The session spotlighted projects engaging residents in water quality monitoring, macroinvertebrate sampling, plastic capture, and land use management. Max presented on CWA’s work with the International Joint Commission (IJC) to build a regional resource hub model for participatory science through the Lake Erie Volunteer Science Network (LEVSN).

Through our collaboration with the IJC, we're working to build a supportive network that can equip community science groups with the technology, training, data access, and partnerships they need to grow their impact and foster long-term sustainability. Max also joined a panel discussion with partners from the IJC and others to explore how this model could expand across the Great Lakes and strengthen regional collaboration.

Future of Great Lakes Science

In addition to his sessions, Max participated in the IJC’s workshop to shape a long-term science plan for the Great Lakes. Having been part of this effort for over a year, Max has helped advocate for the role of participatory science, technology, and innovation in meeting regional information needs. As federal funding for traditional monitoring becomes less certain, these tools, and the partnerships that sustain them, will be critical for bridging growing data gaps and supporting local water management.

Smart Water Infrastructure & Tech Deployment

Jeff Pu shared two presentations at IAGLR this year. His sessions focused on how in-situ and remote sensing tools are being integrated to monitor Lake Erie water levels, and on recent advancements in CWA’s Smart Lake Erie Watershed.  His sessions showcased how these efforts are enabling smarter, more efficient water data collection and analysis, and how CWA’s infrastructure serves as a real-world testbed for companies to test and advance their technology.

Emily Hamilton also presented on CWA’s approach to trialing and supporting technology in our testbed network. She highlighted how real-world deployments offer innovators critical feedback and how CWA helps connect them with potential end users, customers, and partners who can advance their growth and impact.

The Future of the Great Lakes

In addition to our various sessions, we were proud to see CWA Board Member and Program Committee Chair Dr. Christopher Winslow recognized with the 2025 Large Lake Champion Award—highlighting his leadership and deep commitment to furthering Great Lakes research and collaboration.

IAGLR 2025 reaffirmed the vital role of cross-sector collaboration, innovative technology, and adaptable infrastructure in protecting and sustaining the future of our freshwater resources. From advancing participatory science to piloting emerging technologies, CWA remains dedicated to building the collaborative frameworks and real-world solutions that drive freshwater science forward. As partners across the basin navigate shifting resources and growing challenges, we continue to work together to ensure the Great Lakes remain resilient through collaborative innovation, informed decision-making, and strong regional networks.