Research management in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basins: challenges and opportunities

Research management in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basins is both challenging and filled with opportunities. From the perspective of public health practice, research management is more than just research managers managing discrete programs; it requires everyone involved in the process to become active participants, including researchers, communities, potential interest groups, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Agencies, organizations, and individuals responsible for managing research and resources in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basins are facing problems of decreased research funding, data gaps, and research quality. Managers of research and resources in the basins face many challenges as they address these problems. They are challenged with strengthening the link between research and management in the face of decreasing resources and increasing expectations of results and findings while extending those results and findings to public health practice. A number of actions and activities have been proposed that can lead to better management of constrained programs, pooled resources, partnerships, targeted priorities, and improved effectiveness. With guidance and assistance from the International Joint Commission (IJC), research managers in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River basins who have initiated and maintained traditional research programs based on sound science are now adopting different and innovative management strategies. The research community must be proactive in articulating the role of science in bridging the gaps in knowledge between public health practice and regulatory programs. Supported by a firm foundation of credible science, critical assessment, and public service, basin research managers are recognizing the need to move outside the comfort zone and extend to areas previously unwelcomed or uncomfortable.