Insight into successful research impacts: An environmental scan of academic and non-governmental institutes focused on the Laurentian Great Lakes ecosystem

Protection of water quality and ecosystem health of the Great Lakes is strongly supported by people living in their watershed. Greater scientific understanding of the Great Lakes ecosystem is recognised as a key need for designing and conducting research that will provide the best means to protect the ecosystem and evaluate environmental restoration actions. Water research centres that focus on the Great Lakes aquatic ecosystem are important features of research infrastructure in the region and provide service to environmental governance, outreach, and education. An environmental scan was conducted on 22 academic and non-governmental water research centres to understand the types of institutional governance and scope of activity that leads to successful centres. All water centres are viewed favourably at their respective institutions and in their communities and serve important science communication roles with the public. Public outreach is an important function of water centres in the Great Lakes region, and greater efforts are required for fully inclusive and participatory involvement with stakeholders and rights holders. This study will be useful for any organisation seeking to develop a new or revise an existing water centre in the Great Lakes region to serve the growing need to protect water quality and ecosystem integrity.