Membership

You have a stake in GLOS

GLOS is leading the way for coordinating data technologies and services across the region as a result of the tremendous work of our members. GLOS members represent a variety of data providers, data managers, and data users.  They include government, academic, and non-governmental organizations as well as private industry and individuals with expertise and interest in Great Lakes water resources. While each member has distinct interests, all are dedicated to and benefit from achieving the GLOS mission: to connect data users with data providers in ways that are supportive of policy and decision making.

 

Membership Benefits

Becoming a member of GLOS gives you the opportunity to shape the direction of information exchange in the Great Lakes. As a member of the GLOS consortium, your organization can:

  • Participate in research and development of data and information products: GLOS takes a “user-oriented” approach to the development of all our projects. Your participation as a member ensures that our products and tools are best suited to meet your organization’s needs.
  • Leverage and enhance existing monitoring/observation activities: No single institution can collect comprehensive arrays of data over space and time. By joining GLOS, your observation activities will be joined with others to generate a richness of information previously unobtainable.
  • Easily deliver data and information to target audiences: With our capabilities for standardized and coordinated data management and communications, GLOS provides a portal for data access that is easy to use for data providers and data users. As a member, you can utilize GLOS to ensure your data is delivered in a user-friendly environment.
  • Discover collaborative project opportunities and networking events: GLOS is built on a foundation of cooperative organizations and individuals and this network is continually growing. Membership provides unique opportunities to be a part of the Great Lakes observing and information exchange community through projects, workshops and other activities.
  • Determine the direction of GLOS activities: The direction of the GLOS activities and projects will be determined on an ongoing basis by its Board of Directors comprised of stakeholder representatives elected or appointed from the membership. Membership, therefore, provides an opportunity to participate in GLOS governance and ensure that GLOS products reflect the needs of data providers, product users, and mission-driven stakeholders.

 

Member Contributions

The membership actively supports the mission, activities, projects and systems of GLOS. Members will be expected to do the following:

  • Promote open access to Great Lakes data through information-sharing, formal and informal agreements, and collaborations.
  • Spread the word about GLOS systems, activities, projects, goals and objectives within your organization, and among your constituents, customers and colleagues.
  • Actively participate in GLOS annual meetings, committees, work plan development and review, and other GLOS activities and projects.
  • Ensure that the member-organization’s representative to GLOS is knowledgeable about and informed of GLOS systems, activities, projects, goals and objectives; and notify the Executive Director and/or the Secretary of the Board of Directors of any change in representation.
  • Participate with other members in determining membership policies and procedures.

 

How to Join

If you are interested in becoming a member of GLOS contact: Sara Maples at smaples@glos.us