Abstract
This issue marks a major diversion from the normal content of the Great Lakes Research Review. Through this issue and the following we will provide a compilation of information presented during the Lake Ontario Interdisciplinary Science and Management Conference (LOISM) that was held in March 2003 at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry. Material from the conference includes presentations on larger projects; single-page abstracts describing ongoing work submitted by conference participants, and summaries of breakout sessions in which research and management issues for Lake Ontario were discussed. From comments received, the conference was a productive and worthwhile experience for participants. The speakers provided excellent overviews of the larger research and monitoring efforts on Lake Ontario. The breakout sessions were a great success, and many comments indicated that participants appreciated the chance to interact with colleagues involved with the lake system.