Join us for the 2025 Water@Michigan Symposium, which will center on the Water-Climate Nexus across the University, Michigan, and the Great Lakes Region.

Water@Michigan 2025 will highlight the urgency of coordinated efforts and community-based research. Attendees will gain new skills in storytelling, communicating impact, and understanding Indigenous perspectives. They will also gain a better understanding of climate impacts on transboundary waters and policymaking in Michigan for future water priorities.

Engage with leading experts, policymakers, and community leaders working to address these pressing challenges.

Featured Speakers

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Symposium Agenda

• Registration opens (8:30 a.m.)
• Welcome and Morning Keynote Address (9:00 a.m.)
  • Jiigibiig: Life Along the Shore – An Anishinaabe perspective on the interconnectedness of being in our watersheds | Speaker: Stacie Sheldon Chitwaadewegekwe
• Concurrent Sessions
  • Tribal Engagement for Water-Climate Issues – Advice, Insights, and Best Practices | Facilitator: Selena Smith (LSA, EES) | Panelists: Allison Harnish (Albion College), Doug Taylor (Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi), Andrea Knutson (Oakland University), Shannon Martin (Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, & Cultural Pathways Group LLC) & Wes Bickford (USGS)
  • Re-Storying Great Lakes Waterways | Facilitator: David Porter (LSA, English & Detroit River Story Lab)
  • Water Bodies: A Poetry Workshop on Entanglement and Memory | Facilitator: Caroline New, (Anthropology, LSA & Arts Initiative)
• Lunch, Networking & Afternoon Registration (11:45 a.m.)
• Welcome and Afternoon Keynote Address (12:45 p.m.)
  • The Water-Climate Nexus | Speaker: Shalanda Baker, VP for Sustainability and Climate Action, U-M
• Panel Discussion: Understanding the Impacts of Climate Change on Transboundary Waters, Ecosystems, Communities, and Governance | Facilitator: Annie Wisner, Global Center for Climate Change and Transboundary Waters, U-M | Panelists: Mohammed Ombadi (CLASP, CoE), Richard Norton (Taubman, Global Center for Climate Change and Transboundary Waters) & Sam Schurkamp (SEAS)
• Break & Open Networking (2:30 p.m.)
• The Future of Water: Projections and Implications for Policymaking | Moderator: Shalanda Baker | with special guests: Debbie Dingell – U.S. Representative, Phil Roos – Director, EGLE & Yousef Rabhi – Washtenaw County Commissioner, District 8
• Reception & Networking (4 p.m.)

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Partners!

Parking and Directions

Please see the attached diagram for parking information around Palmer Commons.

• Palmer Commons Parking Structure (both Visitor and Staff): Located at 100 Washtenaw Drive.
  • From west Ann Arbor, head eastbound on E. Huron Street to Palmer Drive or from east Ann Arbor, head westbound on Washtenaw Road to Palmer Drive, turn in, and the structure is on your left. Staff parking is the 1st gate, and visitor parking is the 2nd gate.
• Thayer Street Parking Structure (UM Staff Parking): Located at 216 S. Thayer Street – (.5 miles/10 min walk)
  • Walking Directions: Exit structure to the leM and go to E. Washington Street and turn right. Head east on Washington >ll the street dead ends into Fletcher Street. Cross the road and there is a walkway that leads to Palmer Commons.
• Liberty Square Parking Structure (Public parking): located at 510 E. Washington Street – (.5 miles/12 min walk)
  • Walking Directions: Exit structure to the right and head east on Washington >ll the street dead ends into Fletcher Street. Cross the road and there is a walkway that leads to Palmer Commons.
• Metered Street Parking: There are also metered spaces available on the streets surrounding the campus. Be sure to check the time limits and rates.

Please check parking availability and rates prior to the event, as they can vary. Consider downloading and using the EPark app for metered parking. Events on campus can bring lots of visitors to campus. Please arrive early to secure parking. Additionally, consider using public transit or ride-sharing services as alternative transportation methods if parking is limited.