The mission of the Great Lakes Encounter Symposium is to bring together leaders and experts that will offer innovative solutions to the most compelling challenges, present opportunities and otherwise enhance and protect our life in the best place in the world — the Great Lakes.
Proceeds of ticket sales cover costs of the conference.
If you are driving to the Rozsa Center during our event, a Michigan Tech Parking Permit is required for parking your vehicle at the Rozsa Center on June 2 & 3. The daily permits may be obtained online here.
DAY ONE
WEDNESDAY – JUNE 1, 2022
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Early Registration/Meet & Great and Tour of the GLRC
Location: Great Lakes Research Center, 100 Phoenix Dr, Houghton, Mi 49931
Sign-in, tour the Great Lakes Research Center and enjoy hors d’oeuvres with a beautiful view of the Keweenaw Waterway. This stretch of water has recently been designated a Marine Autonomy Research Site (MARS). Don’t be surprised if you leave this event knowing that your attending symposium in a place where amazing things are in store for our Great Lakes.
DAY TWO
THURSDAY – JUNE 2, 2022
Location: Rozsa Center, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931
8:30am – 9:00am
Registration & Continental Breakfast
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The Great Lakes Encounter Symposium
Opening – Welcome Michigan Technological University President Richard Koubek
Morning Session – Virginia Tech Professor followed by Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, author of the book “What the Eyes Don’t See” will talk about how Flint, Michigan, a city surrounded by the world’d largest fresh water body in the world was poisoned by their drinking water.
Doctors of the Great Lakes Panel – Renowned Great Lakes expert Dr. Nancy Langston along with 5 others will provide a “diagnosis” of the health of each of our 5 Great Lakes and groundwater (our 6th Great Lake) ecology and economy to set the stage for those with the ability to provide solutions to water quality, other environmental challenges and prepare for climate change .
Energy – Why renewables can’t save the Great Lakes or the planet
Jeffery Loman – Former Deputy Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Alaska, explains why even lifelong environmentalists who have long promoted renewable energy sources like solar and wind to save us from climate change have changed their minds. Find out which energy alternative they’re embracing next.
Environmental Organizations – Introduction to local environmental groups. Water Safety – Introduction to our water safety partners.
DAY THREE
FRIDAY – JUNE 3, 2022
Location: Rozsa Center, 1400 Townsend Dr, Houghton, MI 49931
8:30am – 9:00am
Registration & Continental Breakfast
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The Great Lakes Encounter Symposium
Considering the values of our Aanishnabe ancestors to guide the adoption of policy – regulation and law to restore, protect and preserve the natural resources of the Great Lakes region.
Climate Migration – Why Michigan is the next best place to live and the impacts of mass migration.
Tribal Leaders Round Table – Great Lakes tribal leaders discussion of treaty rights, and their sacred obligation to protect natural resources in the Great Lakes region for the next seven generations.
Val Admakus Scholarship Presentation – Michigan Technological University Winner – Micro Plastics: The Great Lakes Smallest Biggest Problem.
Val Admakus Scholarship Presentation – Ojibwa Community College Winner – Manoomin.
Environmental Organizations – Introduction to local environmental groups.
Great Lakes Water Safety Consortium – Jamie Racklyeft provides an overview of our water safety day and how attending will save someone’s life!
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Location: Memorial Union Building Ballroom, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931
6:00pm
Dinner
DAY FOUR
SATURDAY – JUNE 4, 2022
Location: Memorial Union Building Ballroom, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931
The Great Lakes Encounter Symposium
- 8 a.m. Networking Continental Breakfast
- 8:30 a.m. Welcome/State of the Lakes – Jeffrey Loman//Jamie Racklyeft
- 9 a.m. Story of Loss: Why We’re Here – Kellie & Mark Ahonen
- 9:15 a.m. Best Practices Fishbowl – All attendees
- 9:45 a.m. I’m Just a Bill: Safety Legislation Success Story – Rep. Kelly Cassidy
- 10:15 Networking Break
- 10:30 a.m. Wave & Current Science Dream Team – Dr. Chin Wu//Dr. Chris Houser//Bob Dukesherer
- 11:30 a.m. Networking Lunch
- Noon Welcome Back
- 12:15 Risk Communication & Persuasion – Dr. Andrew Fiss
- 12:45 p.m. Water Safety Start-ups – Mary Ann Best, Gary, Indiana//Jacob Soter, SwimSmart
- 1:30 p.m. Rethinking the Rescue Station Design Jam – Jamie Racklyeft//Jacob Soter//attendees//students
- 2:45 p.m. Wrap up/Awards/Contest Winner – Jeffrey Loman//Jamie Racklyeft
- 3 p.m. Water Rescue Demos – Great Lakes Unmanned Systems//others
Invitee List
The Honorable Tom Barrett – Mayor, City of Milwaukee
The Honorable Lori Lightfoot – Mayor, City of Chicago
The Honorable Mike Duggan – Mayor, City of Detroit
The Honorable Frank G. Jackson – Mayor, City of Cleveland
The Honorable John Tory – Mayor, City of Toronto
The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer – Governor of Michigan
The Honorable Tim Walz – Governor of Minnesota
The Honorable Tony Evers – Governor of Wisconsin
The Honorable J.B. Pritzker – Governor of Illinois
The Honorable Eric Holcomb – Governor of Indiana
The Honorable Mike DeWine – Governor of Ohio
The Honorable Tom Wolf – Governor of Pennsylvania
The Honorable Andrew Cuomo – Governor of New York
The Honorable Doug Ford – Premier of Ontario
The Honorable François Legault – Premier of Quebec
The Honorable Kim Klopstein – President, KBIC
The Honorable Gary Peters – U.S. Senate – Michigan
The Honorable Debbie Stabenow – U.S. Senate – Michigan
The Honorable Fred Upton – U.S. Congress – MI 6th District
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar – U.S. Senate – Minnesota
The Honorable Tina Smith – U.S. Senate – Minnesota
The Honorable Tammy Baldwin – U.S. Senate – Wisconsin
The Honorable Ron Johnson – U.S. Senate – Wisconsin
The Honorable Tammy Duckworth – U.S. Senate – Illinois
The Honorable Dick Durbin – U.S. Senate – Illinois
The Honorable Mike Braun – U.S. Senate – Indiana
The Honorable Todd Young – U.S. Senate – Indiana
The Honorable Sherrod Brown – U.S.Senate – Ohio
The Honorable Rob Portman – U.S. Senate – Ohio
The Honorable Bob Casey Jr. – U.S. Senate – Pennsylvania
The Honorable Pat Toomey – U.S. Senate – Pennsylvania
The Honorable Kristen Gillibrand – U.S. Senate – New York
The Honorable Chuck Schumer – U.S. Senate – New York
All Members – Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus
All Members – House Great Lakes Task Force
The Honorable Tom Barrett – Mayor, City of Milwaukee
The Honorable Lori Lightfoot – Mayor, City of Chicago
The Honorable Mike Duggan – Mayor, City of Detroit
The Honorable Frank G. Jackson – Mayor, City of Cleveland
The Honorable John Tory – Mayor, City of Toronto
The Honorable Gretchen Whitmer – Governor of Michigan
The Honorable Tim Walz – Governor of Minnesota
The Honorable Tony Evers – Governor of Wisconsin
The Honorable J.B. Pritzker – Governor of Illinois
The Honorable Eric Holcomb – Governor of Indiana
The Honorable Mike DeWine – Governor of Ohio
The Honorable Tom Wolf – Governor of Pennsylvania
The Honorable Andrew Cuomo – Governor of New York
The Honorable Doug Ford – Premier of Ontario
The Honorable François Legault – Premier of Quebec
The Honorable Chris Swartz – President, KBIC
The Honorable Gary Peters – U.S. Senate – Michigan
The Honorable Debbie Stabenow – U.S. Senate – Michigan
The Honorable Fred Upton – U.S. Congress – MI 6th District
The Honorable Amy Klobuchar – U.S. Senate – Minnesota
The Honorable Tina Smith – U.S. Senate – Minnesota
The Honorable Tammy Baldwin – U.S. Senate – Wisconsin
The Honorable Ron Johnson – U.S. Senate – Wisconsin
The Honorable Tammy Duckworth – U.S. Senate – Illinois
The Honorable Dick Durbin – U.S. Senate – Illinois
The Honorable Mike Braun – U.S. Senate – Indiana
The Honorable Todd Young – U.S. Senate – Indiana
The Honorable Sherrod Brown – U.S.Senate – Ohio
The Honorable Rob Portman – U.S. Senate – Ohio
The Honorable Bob Casey Jr. – U.S. Senate – Pennsylvania
The Honorable Pat Toomey – U.S. Senate – Pennsylvania
The Honorable Kristen Gillibrand – U.S. Senate – New York
The Honorable Chuck Schumer – U.S. Senate – New York
All Members – Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Legislative Caucus
All Members – House Great Lakes Task Force
Where to Stay & EAT While You’re Here
Simply input date(s), choose how many rooms/guests, and then click the “Special Rates” button and enter the code in the Promotion Code box. Click “Check Room & Rates” and the available discounted rooms will be provided.
Pick the dates of your stay: June 1st check-in and June 4th check-out.
To add promotional code there. Simply click on the “+” sign next to “Special Rates” and your code will be “GLE2022″. You and your guests will then be able to look through all of our rooms, pick the one that best fits them, and book! It will automatically take the first night as a non-refundable deposit and the remainder will be paid upon check in!
The Baraga Lakeside Inn is located at 900 US 41 South, Baraga, MI 49908, and is a beautiful 25 minute drive along Lake Superior to Michigan Tech & the Rozsa Center.
Jeffery Loman
VP Business Development of KBIC
After his combined 35 years of government service as a U.S. Navy Aquanaut and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Diver, Chief Natural Resources for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and Deputy Director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management – Alaska; Jeffery returned to the L’Anse Indian Reservation where he was born.
Wayne
Abba
Senior
Advisor
Wayne is an internationally-recognized as a spokesperson for program management using Earned Value Management (EVM). With over 30 years’ experience in program analysis and a worldwide reputation as a leader in acquisition improvement.
Board Members
Tim
Havens
Director of
MTU GLRC
Tim Havens is the Director of Michigan Technological University’s Great Lakes Research Center. Tim received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Missouri. Prior to joining Michigan Tech, he was an NSF/CRA Computing Innovation Postdoctoral Fellow at Michigan State University.
Elizabeth Hoy
Director, Business & Program Development, MTU GLRC
Elizabeth Hoy facilitates partnerships that support and institutes growth throughout the Great Lakes Research Center. She directs the development and distribution of outreach material to external partners and oversees operations.
Roman SIDORTSOV
Assistant Professor, Energy Policy at MTU
Roman Sidortsov has a diverse international background as an educator, researcher, consultant, and practicing attorney. He has developed and taught law and policy courses.