Smart Great Lakes 2.0 – Workshop

October 14-15, 2026

The next Smart Great Lakes 2.0 Workshop will be held in Detroit, MI, at the U-M Detroit Center, to complement the two-day workshop held in Burlington, ON, in February of 2026.

The workshop aims to establish a renewed shared purpose and examine the major forces reshaping Great Lakes observing and information systems. The main topics to be addressed are AI and machine learning as well as novel technologies for data collection and management to inform decisionmaking. These conversations will shape priority setting for Smart Great Lakes 2.0.
Register for SGL 2.0 Workshop

Cost to attend is $40 USD.
Draft agenda will be available and shared soon

Photos from THE Burlington, ON, Workshop
Feb 17-19, 2026

ABOUT SMART GREAT LAKES

Smart Great Lakes (SGL) is a collaborative platform focused on strengthening connectivity across the Great Lakes research ecosystem. Through curated resources, collaborative initiatives, and knowledge-sharing opportunities, SGL supports deeper access to Great Lakes science.

Originally launched as an initiative of the Great Lakes Observing System (GLOS), Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) and the Council of the Great Lakes Region (CGLR), SGL is evolving into an independent entity which will play a connective and facilitative role within the region. While maintaining strong relationships with GLOS, CWA, CGLR and other regional partners, SGL will focus on building a collaborative platform that complements existing data systems and research efforts.

The Great Lakes region is one of the most ecologically, economically, and culturally significant freshwater systems in the world. Yet the research landscape supporting the region remains highly distributed across agencies, institutions, NGOs, Indigenous organizations, monitoring networks, and private-sector innovators. Valuable data and technologies often persist in disconnected disciplines.

SGL exists to help bridge these gaps.

Rather than functioning as a primary research body or centralized data repository, SGL operates as a connective platform that helps stakeholders navigate the complex Great Lakes research ecosystem. SGL aims to improve the discoverability of available science and tech in the region, support the exchange of this knowledge, foster other collaboration avenues for stakeholders, and help to translate diverse standards and methodologies to make this joint work more feasible.

SGL’s work is guided by several core principles:

  • Supporting knowledge-sharing and collaboration 
  • Strengthening accessibility across the research ecosystem
  • Highlighting innovation and emerging technologies
  • Informing approaches to evolving tools such as AI and advanced monitoring systems

As the organization grows, SGL aims to become an increasingly valuable regional resource supporting collaboration and strategic insights in the Great Lakes research community.