The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is training Wisconsin’s water workforce to address water challenges.
We partner with the private sector, nonprofits, government agencies, tribal nations, and community members on programs and collaborative research that
- Engage middle school and high school students and encourage them to study water and environmental sciences.
- Offer intensive hands-on coursework where college students learn lab and fieldwork techniques.
- Teach students technical and professional skills through undergraduate research and internships with on-campus and external partners.
- Create a jobs pipeline that strengthens Wisconsin’s workforce.
The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is a statewide initiative of the 13 public Universities of Wisconsin.
Spotlight Stories
- Researchers Seek to Develop New Tools to Remove PFAS from Agricultural Soil and Nearby Groundwater
For years, Wisconsin farmers have applied biosolids—a byproduct of wastewater management — to their fields. The process reduces the need for commercial fertilizers, conditions the soil, and reduces the amount of biosolids going into a landfill. Unfortunately, biosolids may be… - UW Oshkosh Research Benefits Metal Recycling Company
Wisconsin-based Sadoff Iron & Metal Company has offered scrap metal recycling for more than 70 years. It collects non-ferrous metals and ferrous scrap, auto salvage, electronics recycling, and other materials at multiple sites in Wisconsin and Nebraska. Sadoff then provides… - Student Touts Benefits of Joining Summer DAM Crew; Apply by May 20
Robert Boss, a Conservation major at UW-River Falls with an emphasis on restoration management, knows firsthand the opportunities that participating on the DAM Crew opens to students. The two-week summer DAM Crew offers undergraduates the unique experience of learning from… - Freshwater Field Course with Professionals Prepares Students for Workforce
When faculty at UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences sought to redesign one of their core courses, a top goal was getting input and participation from industry and governmental partners. They wanted to ensure their freshwater field course would prepare students… - UW-La Crosse Student Advances PFAS Research, Educates Local Community
UW-La Crosse senior Anika Oplanic never expected that working in a campus toxicology lab would lead to so many opportunities — especially in the area of PFAS research. The molecular genetics and cellular biology major joined Professor Tisha King-Heiden’s lab… - Gain Hands-on Research Experience in High School Freshwater Summer Scholars Program
When Maddie Mueller saw an Instagram post about a summer high school freshwater program at UW-Green Bay, she immediately applied. “I plan to go into the freshwater science field and wanted some real in-lab experiences.” says Mueller, a senior at…
News
- Getting kids hooked on fish farming, Sea Grant News BlogMay 19, 2025
- UW-Milwaukee Offers Hands On Info Sessions for Interested Students Aboard Research VesselMay 19, 2025
- Water Determines Great Lakes Region’s Economic Future, Circle of BlueMay 12, 2025
- Freshwater Opportunities Bulletin, May 2025May 8, 2025
Events
- Freshwater Collaborative Steering Committee Meeting, May 28May 23, 2025
- Freshwater Collaborative Steering Committee Meeting, April 30April 28, 2025
- Great Lakes Freshwater Symposium: Possible Future Uses of New Lakefront at the Port of Milwaukee, April 22March 26, 2025
- April Joint Committee on Finance Listening SessionsMarch 26, 2025
Stay Informed
Our quarterly e-newsletter will keep you informed about how the Freshwater Collaborative is training Wisconsin’s future water workforce and building partnerships that solve freshwater challenges.
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Experts Directory
The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin includes faculty and staff from the 13 Universities of Wisconsin, creating an extensive network of professionals working in the water industry. They can speak to about a variety of water challenges in our state.
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