The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE) will award $100,000 to expand freshwater literacy place-based STEM education, and Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity's (LEO) MiSTEM Network will award $100,000 to support innovative STEM 3-P (problem, place and project-based) learning.

In Lake Erie, several factors contribute to algal blooms.  Nutrient-rich water from wastewater treatment plants, farm fields and fertilized lawns, the effects of invasive species, and the warm, shallow waters of the lake are some of the known contributors, but there may be others that aren't quite understood yet. To reduce the amount of phosphorus and nitrogen entering Lake Erie, Michigan released the Lake Erie Domestic Action Plan (DAP) developed by the Michigan Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development; Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy; and Natural Resources. Michigan's plan sets the road map for reducing phosphorus entering Lake Erie by 40 percent by 2025.

An invasive species is one that is not native and whose introduction causes harm, or is likely to cause harm to Michigan's economy, environment, or human health.

Many non-native species in Michigan, including fruits, vegetables, field crops, livestock and domestic animals, are important to our economy and lifestyle.

The results of this project will provide a better understanding of the long-term implications, risks and costs of using institutional controls and other restrictive actions such as limiting the use of the aquifer when managing risks associated with groundwater that has become unusable due to contamination. Institutional controls are in use at more than 2,000 sites across the state. Michigan's environmental laws do not provide detailed guidelines or limitations on the appropriate use of these mechanisms. This research project is intended to augment decision-making by addressing this information gap.

Michigan's wild rice, Zizania palustris and Zizania aquatica, is native to the Great Lakes region and portions of Canada. Found in shallow waters of inland lakes, slow-flowing streams, and Great Lakes embayments, wild rice has ecological, social, cultural and economic value in the state, specifically and most particularly for Anishinaabe communities in the region, who know the plant as manoomin. Once plentiful in places like northern Michigan, wild rice is under threat from climate change, habitat loss, uninformed harvesting practices, degraded water quality and other factors.

Michigan Water School is a program to help elected and appointed officials increase their knowledge about water management and gain access to tools and resources to help impact their local economy.

The Smart Ships Coalition is a broad stakeholder community of academic, state and federal agencies, private and non-profit industry, and international organizations who share a common interest in the advancement and application of autonomous technologies operated in marine environments.