Ambitious Institute intends to lead the Great Lakes with research
Richard Stewart readily acknowledges that the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute (GLMRI) is “ambitious in scope.” Indeed. Today, while still only a fledgling, the institute has at least nine major research projects under way and has put out a call for proposals for more.
Space does not permit a full list of current research topics, but here is a representative sampling:
The
use of bio-diesel fuels in auxiliary equipment.
The
case for expanding the Michigan truck ferry.
The
market for day passenger service linked to national scenic byway and
multi-use trail systems.
Intralake
yearround movement of raw logs.
Great
Lakes outflow investigation.
Establishing
a Great Lakes data base of maritime information.
A
Midwest Freight Corridor study.
Marine
transportation and port education.
Examining
the tax systems and barriers to Great Lakes maritime commerce.
And that’s just the beginning. The institute has called for proposals that will encourage researchers to dig deep into areas like the use of smaller (handy size) vessels, effects of gentrification of waterfronts, how to establish a cost effective Great Lakes security training program, the potential of a hub and spoke marine transporation system, 12-month lock operations and winter navigation, and a wide range of environmental topics. And that sampling only touches on the highest of the high points of the institute’s “ambitioius” agenda for 2007 and beyond.
 |
 |
| Stewart | Kwon |
Richard Stewart (for more on Dr. Stewart, see Page 2) is one co-director of the GLMRI. He is based at the University of Wisconsin-Superior. The other co-director is Eil Kwon. He is based at the University of Minnesota-Duluth.
The GLMRI was established in March 2004 and represents a consortium between the Transportation and Logistics Research Center at UWS and the College of Science and Engineering and the Labovitz School of Business and Economics at UMD.
The institute is guided not only by Drs. Stewart and Kwon but also an advisory board of maritime experts. Research is coordinated with the Maritime Administration. In addition to the host universities of UWS and UMD, reserach is being conducted by teams at affiliated universities:
In its first years, said Dr. Kwon, the institute has “built a foundation,” cemented the relationship between the two host universities and established its base of affiliated schools. In addition, the institute’s staff has made presentaitons all across its vast region.
Vast? Yes, vast: The institute’s home turf includes two Canadian provinces, two American states and 50 million people — all of whom are connected to the Great Lakes and their commercial waterfronts (whether they know it or not) by maritime commerce.
The co-directors’ outreach efforts have been met with what Dr. Stewart calls the “universal acceptance of what we’re doing. We’re filling a void.”
Dr. Kwon, whose previous professional life dealt with the Intelligent Transportation System on the highways of Minnesota, comes to the waterways of the Great Lakes with a fresh perspective and great enthusiasm. And he sees great potential, and need, for applying ITS technologies on the Great Lakes.
Dr. Stewart said that “by no means do we see a suddent shift to ships. But concerns about fuel, congestion, possible new mining products and environmental issues compel us to look at all means of transportation and help our ports become as flexible as possible.”
He and Dr. Kwon expect the Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute can be a leader in that direction.