HOUGHTON -- Sitting right on the Keweenaw Waterway is Michigan Tech's brand new Great Lakes Research Center.
Director of the Great Lakes Initiatives, Guy Meadows, says this state of the art facility was designed to bring people together to address some of the problems the Great Lakes face.
"I think one of the most pressing issues in the Great Lakes is the fact that water temperatures are rising throughout the lakes. We've had enormous warming over the last several years and very low lake levels," said Meadows.
Michigan Tech says they are also concerned with invasive species, and inside the 50,000-square-foot building is an entire laboratory dedicated to studying them. One of the best views is from the roof of the boat house. Native plants are spread along the walkway, and if you peer over the edge of the building, you can even see Portage Lake.
The state funded 74 percent of the $25 million project, and Tech provided another $6 million.
After the dedication ceremony, those in attendance got a tour of the building.
Tech says many people depend on the Great Lakes, and the center will give people from around the world a place to do research.
"Nobody has a corner on talent these days, and the most talented people are kind of spread around, and being able to provide a home for them to do work on Lake Superior is fantastic,” said Michigan Tech President Glenn Mroz.
The Great Lakes Research Center will also help educate students K-12 in science and math.
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