MSU Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences

It's Michigan Great Lakes and Fresh Water Week, and we're looking ahead to summer on the coast!

With spring rains bringing dynamic changes to our shorelines, what can Michiganders actually expect when hitting the beach this season? We sat down with coastal geomorphologist Dr. Ethan Theuerkauf to get his 2026 "State of the Shorelines" forecast.

The good news? Water levels are holding steady at historical averages, making it a prime "recovery summer" for many of our favorite beaches. Dr. Theuerkauf breaks down the science behind lake-level cycles, the long-term impact of shoreline armoring, and how property owners can proactively protect our coasts during calmer waters.

Read the full Ask the Expert feature here: https://geo.msu.edu/news-events/news/2026-06-11.html

Emilio Moran, an MSU John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor in the Department of Geography, Environment and Spatial Sciences, shares new research that finds that without better planning and community involvement, dam projects risk repeating decades-old mistakes — raising important questions about dam construction and hydroelectricity projects.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2026/06/04/dam-dilemma-how-michigan-researchers-plan-to-fix-the-dam-problem/

Dam Dilemma: How MSU researchers plan to fix the ‘dam’ problem Dams across the state have continued to fail against record snowmelt, heavy rainfall and infrastructure outdated by decades, now MSU researchers have a plan.

MSU Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator, and onGEO Professional GIS Certificate earner, takes us on a speedy Q&A of her day.

Q&A Speed Run: Arboretum and Invasive Species Coordinator Carolyn Miller Carolyn Miller has mapped every corner of our 5,200-acre campus, tr...

Applications are still open! AAG is seeking three undergraduate and graduate students to join our team this Summer and Fall.

Interns will gain hands-on experience in developing programming for Geography Awareness Week and conference support, as well as administrative assistance for DOI development, awards, and volunteers. Learn more about the different positions: https://buff.ly/thk2Xbs

Angelique Willis, a PhD student in MSU Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences and the Environmental Science and Policy Program at MSU, joined the WaterCube NRT Fellowship Program in 2025.

Before coming to MSU, she examined chemical contaminants in well water throughout Georgia. Today, Angelique works with organizations in Detroit to address drinking water contamination linked to chemical facilities. Specifically, she studies how contaminants like chromium-6 in tap water may correlate with kidney disease.

Learn more about her work and other PhD students doing water research at MSU: https://lnkd.in/g9PfQbzd

Please help us in congratulating our Department of Geography, Environment, and Spatial Sciences 2025-26 award recipients and newest Gamma Theta Upsilon - International Geographical Honor Society members! We are so proud of our outstanding Spartan Geographers!

See the GEO News & Stories link in our bio for more details, or visit https://geo.msu.edu/news-events/news/2026-05-18.html.

📸 Jackie Hawthorne

DeVon Overton will defend her doctoral dissertation, "Modeling & Emergent Phenomena: A Spatial Analysis of Household Mobility in CDBG Entitlement Communities for Impacts of Gentrification, Neighborhood Abandonment, Displacement & Dispossession," on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, beginning at 9:00 AM.

Best wishes, DeVon!

As the U.S. and other countries expand clean energy, large hydropower dams, often seen as a reliable renewable solution, can come with significant environmental and social costs if not planned thoughtfully. A new publication from John Hannah Distinguished Professor Emilio Moran and other researchers at Michigan State University in the journal Nature Sustainability, finds that without better planning and community involvement, dam projects risk repeating decades-old mistakes—raising important questions about dam construction and hydroelectricity projects.

https://phys.org/news/2026-05-dilemma-anew.html

The dam dilemma: How to build anew without repeating old harms As the U.S. and other countries expand clean energy, large hydropower dams, often seen as a reliable renewable solution, can come with significant environmental and social costs if not planned thoughtfully.