Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor

GLIER’s mission is to advance the protection and restoration of the North American Great Lakes through interdisciplinary research, strategic partnerships, and the mobilization of scientific knowledge. The institute fosters collaboration and innovation crossing disciplinary boundaries to address complex environmental challenges across the region.

Founded in 1981 as the Great Lakes Institute, the Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research (GLIER) has established itself as an international leader in interdisciplinary research focused on the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of the Great Lakes and their watersheds.

GLIER gained early recognition in 1988 as the first research institute in North America to document the presence of invasive zebra mussels. In 1991, the institute formally expanded its mandate to address a broader range of environmental issues across the Great Lakes region.

For more than 45 years, GLIER has helped shape federal and binational policy through research on invasive species, ballast water management, contaminants, fisheries, species at risk, and harmful algal blooms. Its research has advanced knowledge, informed public policy, and fostered innovation through collaboration with governments, industry, research partners, and Indigenous communities.

Recent high-profile programs have promoted the development of SMART Great Lakes (RAEON: Real-time Aquatic Ecosystem Observation Network), positioned Canada as a global leader in fisheries conservation and management through the application of genomics (GEN-FISH), supported graduate training and amplifying Indigenous perspectives in fisheries science (FISH-CAST) and emphasizing the University’s commitment to environmental stewardship, reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, and inclusive community engagement (NUPH: National Urban Park Hub). These programs have brought national recognition to the University and have reaffirmed GLIER’s position as the nation’s leader in Great Lakes research.