When Wisconsin Sea Grant launched a new speaker series called the “Lake Talks” in March 2020, we envisioned lively, face-to-face events in communities along Lake Michigan. Clearly, we did not have a crystal ball –  the pandemic had other plans. Just one in-person event took place in early March before a pivot to cyberspace was in order.

There’s a silver lining to the transition to Zoom. You can now find an archive of Lake Talks from the 2020-21 season on Wisconsin Sea Grant’s YouTube channel. PFAS in the Green Bay watershed and techniques for effective communication techniques with the public about aquatic invasive species are just two of the topics you’ll find at https://go.wisc.edu/bml14s.

Currently, six complete Lake Talks are available for viewing, as well as shorter excerpts from our “How to Eat Wisconsin Fish” installment for those who want to zero in on the recipes prepared by Sea Grant’s Manitowoc-based fisheries specialist, Titus Seilheimer. Smoked fish dip, anyone?

The Lake Talks will return in fall 2021 but, as of this writing, final decisions have not been made regarding whether they will be in person or remain on Zoom. For questions about this series, or to suggest a topic, contact Jennifer Smith, Aquatic Sciences Center science communicator, at smith@aqua.wisc.edu.