Minnesota Sea Grant funds research to solve challenges facing Minnesota’s coastal communities.
Check out our projects page for brief summaries of current and recently funded projects. A quick-reference list of projects is in the Current and Recently Funded Research Projects list below. We regularly update our research priorities through communication with extension educators, advisory board members, and community stakeholders.
If you are a researcher with an idea for a research project, check out our Fund Your Research page. For information about our research program or current projects, please contact our Research and Fellowship Coordinator Alex Frie.
Current and recently funded research projects
2026-2028 Minnesota Sea Grant-funded research*
Assessing Water Workforce Pathways in Lake Superior Watershed. Safe and reliable drinking water depends on a skilled workforce. With nearly one-third of water operators expected to retire within the next decade, this project will map current workforce gaps and develop a digital roadmap to connect students and job seekers with water careers. The goal is to help communities maintain essential water services.
Determining Microplastic Fluxes and Residence Time in Lake Superior. Microplastics are present in Lake Superior, but key questions remain about where they come from and where they go. This project will track how microplastics enter the lake from air, streams and wastewater and where they accumulate or move downstream. The results will help inform efforts to reduce pollution and protect water quality.
Ecology and Life History of Minnesota’s Ancient Fishes. Species such as bowfin, gar and suckers have long been part of Minnesota waters but are often overlooked. Increasing fishing pressure raises questions about their sustainability. This project will study how long these fish live and how their populations respond to harvest and provide information to guide fisheries management.
Understanding Winter Manoomin/Psíƞ (Wild Rice) Relationships. Wild rice — manoomin in Ojibwe and psíƞ in Dakota — is culturally and ecologically important across Minnesota. Warmer, shorter winters may affect its growth and survival. This project combines Indigenous knowledge and Western science to examine how winter conditions influence wild rice and supports tribal and state resource management.
2026-2028 Minnesota-Wisconsin joint project*
- 2022 Cisco Recruitment Surge: Impacts on Lake Superior Food Web. A record number of young Cisco were produced in Lake Superior in 2022, which increased a key food source for fish such as lake trout and salmon. This project will examine how that surge affects predator diets, growth and the broader food web. Findings will help fisheries managers maintain balance in the lake’s fisheries.
2024-2026 Minnesota Sea Grant-funded research*
- Jay Austin. Extending and Improving Observational Capacity on Lake Superior’s Minnesota North Shore. ~$144,000. Ends 6/30/2026.
- Ami Choi. Equitable Access to Recreation at Lake Superior (EARLS): Exploring Perceptions and Opportunities among Minnesota's Black Population. ~$317,000. Ends 6/30/2026.
- Elizabeth Minor. The Photochemistry of Plume Constituents in Lake Superior. ~$285,000. Ends 6/30/2026.
- Hikaru Peterson. A Deep Dive into Consumer Perceptions of Locally Farmed Fish. ~$206,000. Ends 6/30/2026.
- Lienne Sethna. Historical Abundance and Extent of Wild Rice: Environmental Drivers Leading to its Decline in Minnesota Waters. ~$289,000. Ends 6/30/2026.
- Cody Sheik. Blooming Threats: Assessing Future Cyanobacterial Threats to Lake Superior. ~$320,000. Ends 6/30/2026.
2022-2024 Minnesota Sea Grant-funded research*
- John Bischof. Development of Surrogate Broodstock for Increasing Aquaculture Production. ~$310,000. Ends 6/30/2024.
- Adam Heathcote. Didymo Invasion of Nearshore Lake Superior Tributaries. ~$345,000. Ends 6/30/2024.
- Heidi Roop. Climate Adaptation in Action: Updating and Expanding Tribal Climate Adaptation Tools and Resources Across the 1854 Ceded Territory. ~$305,000. Ends 6/30/2024.
- Robert W. Sterner. Stoichiometry Meets Genomics: Assessing Limiting Factors for Diverse CHABs and Associated Toxins. ~$317,000. Ends 6/30/2024.
- Lynn Waterhouse. Investigating Drivers of Cisco Recruitment in Lake Superior. ~$215,000. Ends 6/30/2024.
2020-2022 Minnesota Sea Grant-funded research*
- John Bischof. Cryopreservation of Golden Shiner (Notemigonus crysoleucas) Embryos for Aquaculture. ~$223,000. No-cost extension to 6/30/2023.
- Jessica Gutknecht. Lake Superior: Determining Future Potential Release of Mercury and Sulfur from Peatlands to the Lake Superior Basin. ~$189, 000. No-cost extension to 12/31/2023.
- Nathan Johnson. Soil Chemistry and Microbiome Transplant for Wild Rice Restoration. ~$117,000. No-cost extension to 6/30/2023.
- Melissa Maurer-Jones. Microplastics in Lake Superior: An Investigation of Size, Composition, and Weathering. ~$239,000. No-cost extension to 6/30/2023.
Support comes through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Sea Grant Program and the University of Minnesota. Find titles and journals of published results from previously funded research on our website.
*Project costs include research team-provided matching funds and indirect costs.
Updated: 4/8/2026.