{"id":169059,"date":"2026-09-09T11:51:38","date_gmt":"2026-09-09T15:51:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.nmc.edu\/?p=169059"},"modified":"2026-09-09T12:55:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T16:55:52","slug":"success-story-lakebed-conference-shows-blue-economy-momentum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nmc.edu\/?p=169059","title":{"rendered":"Success story: Lakebed conference shows blue economy momentum"},"content":{"rendered":"

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<\/em><\/strong>An NMC student prepares to deploy a remotely-operated vehicle aboard the research vessel <\/span>Northwestern<\/em><\/p>\n

September 9, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"LakebedMapping the Great Lakes has taken a Grand Canyon-sized leap since the last Lakebed 2030 conference, and NMC students are a part of it.<\/p>\n

When the effort to map all five Great Lakes at high resolution started five years ago, such data existed for less than 15 percent of the lakes. Next week, when 175 professionals from science, research, policy, government and industry gather again at the Hagerty Center, 17 percent of the U.S. waters will be mapped. The increase of 1,885 square miles roughly equals Grand Canyon National Park.<\/p>\n

\"U.S.U.S. Senator Gary Peters speaks via video at a Lakebed 2030 event in 2022.<\/span>That data is critical to keeping the lakes drinkable, fishable and swimmable. It’s also vital to creating new jobs and industries based around water resources — the essence of the blue economy that NMC is advancing in multiple ways. From seed funding for new entrepreneurs to collaborating with community and academic partners to experiential learning opportunities for NMC students, Lakebed will showcase all of it Sept. 15–17. Highlights include:<\/p>\n