GREAT LAKES CENTER

ABOUT THE GREAT LAKES CENTER

The Great Lakes Center for Environmental Research and Education at Buffalo State College is unique in the SUNY system as the only facility to operate an on-shore experimental laboratory on the Great Lakes and to offer a graduate program in Great Lakes Environmental Studies.  On campus, the Center – both as catalyst and facilitator – is a special resource that links high-quality research with graduate and undergraduate education, increasing the college’s role and visibility in the environmental sciences. The Center also serves as a regional resource that promotes activities that enrich the cultural, social, and intellectual lives of the people of western New York.

The Great Lakes Center brings together faculty from seven academic departments with particular emphasis on the specialties of watershed hydrology, water quality, environmental toxicology and chemistry, aquatic ecology, fisheries, urban ecology, and environmental education.  In addition, the Center actively promotes collaborative research with other academic and research institutions in the United States and Canada, and is a member of the Great Lakes Research Consortium.  By fostering collaboration among units within the college and between the college and other institutions, the Center maintains a diverse, multidisciplinary faculty that provides a stimulating atmosphere for intellectual growth.  In doing so, the Center affords students a unique opportunity for hands-on training in environmental science and management that significantly broadens their educational experience, job prospects, and ability to make informed decisions.

The Center also serves the Western New York/Southern Ontario region as a technical and intellectual resource for resolving environmental issues, as well as for continuing education and specialized training. It provides information and guidance to local and state lawmakers, public school students, industry, environmental groups, and others with interests in the Great Lakes to improve decision-making and governance, sustain the natural resources of the basin, and promote the economy of the Great Lakes.