The state of Minnesota, as part of the Lake Superior Initiative, asked the professionals, now with ETG, to prepare a conceptual plan for an Institute for Lake Superior Research (ILSR). The mission of the proposed institute is to develop the research and knowledge base necessary to guide policy decisions to maintain the environmental integrity of Lake Superior. The ETG team identified the resources available to address research and information-transfer needs for ensuring the ecological integrity of Lake Superior. The ETG team also proposed an administrative and management structure for development of scientific research and information transfer on Lake Superior.