Established in 2011 by the Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit at the Vale Living with Lakes Centre, this prestigious lecture series provides an opportunity for members of the research community (government, academia and industry) and the general public to hear presentations, at no cost, by speakers that they would not have the opportunity to hear otherwise. A generous donation from the Mansour family in Sudbury provides the travel support needed to bring internationally-recognized environmental scientists to Laurentian University to give a lecture about their work, and importantly, to meet with and inspire our students.