About Us

About Us

The Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies (CGLWS) brings together more than 30 faculty members at Bowling Green State University who study the environmental and societal challenges affecting our shared water resources. Our work focuses on developing practical solutions and preparing the next generation of “watershed-wise” citizens and scientists in the Great Lakes region and beyond.

Our location offers a unique advantage for addressing these issues. The main BGSU campus lies in the agricultural heart of the Western Lake Erie watershed, which was once home to the vast Great Black Swamp, a wetland spanning over 1,500 square miles. Our regional Firelands campus is situated just two miles from the shores of Lake Erie, and we are within close proximity to major population centers including Toledo, Cleveland, and Detroit.

History of CGLWS

The Center’s origins trace back to the 2014 Toledo Water Crisis, caused by a harmful algal bloom (HAB) in Lake Erie. In the aftermath, a small group of BGSU faculty conducting related research began meeting to explore the creation of a center dedicated to Great Lakes water quality. Through ongoing collaboration and workshops, the group developed a shared vision that laid the foundation for what would become CGLWS.

Even before the Center’s official establishment, this team successfully secured significant research funding, including a $5.2 million NSF/NIEHS grant for the Great Lakes Center for Freshwaters and Human Health, as well as more than $7 million from additional sources. Although the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily paused group activities, faculty reconvened in 2022 with a renewed, multidisciplinary vision that reflects BGSU’s distinctive approach to water-related research. From its original core of eight members, the Center has since grown to include more than 30 faculty members across multiple disciplines at BGSU.

Our Mission

The Center for Great Lakes and Watershed Studies unites faculty from the natural sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts to advance research and education focused on the health of Great Lakes watersheds and the well-being of surrounding communities. Our mission is to advance public good by applying watershed-level thinking to solve watershed-level problems, highlighting connections among our land, lakes, and communities. We aspire to be a trusted hub of innovative, interdisciplinary Great Lakes scholarship with local relevance and global impact.