ESPP Weekly Update

Director's Message

Summer 2026 felt different from past summers. Typhoon Lala barely missed Hawaii, but the damage was severe. Europe sat through another round of extreme heat. Wildfires in Ontario brought smokes to Michigan, and cities coped with flooding that caught people off guard. If you traveled anywhere this summer, you probably noticed the changes first hand.

That's why the work in ESPP matters. It isn't about abstract models or papers that gather dust. It's about understanding what's happening out there and shaping science and policies that can help. Welcome back to Fall 2026. Whether you just joined us or you've been here a while, I hope you use this year to work on environmental problems you genuinely care about.

As before, We'll use this weekly newsletter to keep you updated on what's happening at ESPP: courses, seminars, scholarships, job opportunities, and events such as the ESPP Student Research Symposium and the Fate of the Earth Symposium.

And please check our student funding page at https://espp.msu.edu/resources/student-funding.html. We offer Summer Research Fellowships (up to $1,500), Competitive Research Grants (up to $4,000+), and travel support for conferences and fieldwork. Don't let budget worries keep you from doing what matters. We are here to help!

If you have suggestions or something you want to share with the ESPP community, please send it my way.

Hope you have a healthy, productive year.

— Lifeng Luo

ESPP Courses

• ESP 801: Physical, Chemical and Biological Processes of the Environment
• ESP 804: Environmental Applications and Analysis
• ESP 890: Modeling Environmental and Social Systems

Seminars, Workshops & Other Events

• Water Commons Virtual Conference | Aug 27-28, 2026 | Virtual

  This virtual conference convenes researchers and practitioners to examine water-related challenges and opportunities. Topics covered will include: climate change, infrastructure and governance.

• MSU Water Alliance Fall Semester Kickoff | September 9, 2026 | Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center

  We're hosting an all-member fall semester kick-off at the Kellogg Hotel & Conference Center. This event is the perfect opportunity to align your research efforts with fellow water Spartans for the upcoming academic year.

• 2026 Michigan Sustainability Conference (MISCON) | Sept 9-10, 2026 | Lansing, Michigan

  The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) will host the 2026 Michigan Sustainability Conference (MISCON) on Sept 9-10, 2026, in Lansing, Michigan.

• Seminar: Growing Aquaculture in the Great Lakes | September 16, 2026

  This seminar will connect national and regional perspectives on U.S. aquaculture growth.

• IWA World Water Congress & Exhibition | Oct 4-8, 2026 | Glasgow, UK

  The 15th World Water Congress will take place in Glasgow, UK, with around 10,000 participants expected from around the world.

• 2026 Great Lakes Microplastics Summit | Oct 7-8, 2026 | Virtual

  The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy will host this dynamic two-day, virtual event exploring the growing impact of microplastics on our freshwater systems.

• ESPP 2026 Fall Student Research Symposium | October 23, 2026 | 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM | STEM Teaching and Learning Facility

  Annual ESPP symposium where students present research posters and talks. Organized by ESPP faculty and students.

• 2026 National Beach Summit | October 27, 2026 | Traverse City, MI

  The Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the Great Lakes Beach Association are excited to host the National Beach Summit in 2026!

Environmental News

• Lala weakens to tropical storm as it lashes Hawaii with heavy wind and rain (The Guardian)

  Hurricane Lala has been downgraded after skirting the Big Island of Hawaii, causing at least one fatality and leaving approximately 183,000 residents without power amid heavy wind and rain.

• Florida sets record for sea turtle nests but Trump move could stall recovery (The Guardian)

  Florida has recorded a historic number of sea turtle nests, yet new regulatory moves by the Trump administration threaten to undermine ongoing recovery efforts for the species.

• Federal Job Cuts Are Making Wildfires Harder to Fight (The New York Times)

  The Trump administration's cuts have pushed out thousands of veteran U.S. Forest Service employees, and an extraordinary fire season is now severely testing the depleted ranks of firefighters.

• The controversial story of the North American raccoons wreaking havoc in Germany (BBC Future Planet)

  The introduction and spread of North American raccoons in Germany has sparked debate; often wrongly attributed to a Nazi commander, their impact on local ecosystems remains a divisive topic.

• Why Europe Keeps Being Pummeled by Heat Waves (The New York Times)

  While the entire planet is warming, changes in weather patterns — particularly shifts in the jet stream — help explain why Europe has been hit so hard by repeated, severe heat waves.

• Early-Onset El Niño (The New York Times)

  An El Niño event is underway earlier than typical, already taking a measurable toll on ecosystems and weather patterns globally, and its peak intensity could still be months away.

• University spinout to launch water quality app for UK and US waters (The Guardian)

  A spinout from Plymouth University is launching a water quality app designed to monitor conditions — including E. coli levels — in waterways across the UK and US.

Share with ESPP

Email us at espp@msu.edu with course announcements, news, publications, seminars and events, scholarships and job opportunities. This newsletter is compiled and edited by Lifeng Luo.