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
- Student Research: Madison Pond Contaminants by Land Use
Each year Research in the Rotunda at the Wisconsin Capitol features undergraduate research at the 13 Universities of Wisconsin. Six Freshwater Collaborative-funded projects were highlighted in 2025. Student: Natasha KriegerUniversity: UW-MadisonMajor: Environmental Engineering and Public PolicyAnticipated graduation date: May 2026Mentors: Sarah Janssen, Jessica Hua Summarize the research and your… - Hundreds of K-12 Students Grow Wild Rice with UW-Green Bay
UW-Green Bay’s Wild Rice in the Classroom project celebrated its sixth year with more than 190 students attending wild rice planting field trips at four locations. Throughout the academic year, nearly 1,000 students planted wild rice in their classrooms as… - Student Research: Adsorption of PFAS in Metal-Organic Frameworks
Each year Research in the Rotunda at the Wisconsin Capitol features undergraduate research at the 13 Universities of Wisconsin. Six Freshwater Collaborative-funded projects were highlighted in 2025. Student: Jackson MikelMajor: Chemical Engineering with a minor in ChemistryGraduation date: May 2025 Student: Grace VersnikMajor: Biochemistry with a minor in Neuroscience… - Freshwater@UW Orientation Week Showcases Wisconsin as the Place to Work in Water
Wisconsin is an amazing place to study and work in water. That’s a core message Ali Mikulyuk, program coordinator for the Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program, hopes to share with the 30 undergraduates participating in this year’s program. The program… - Internship Cultivates Career in Sustainable Aquaculture
Teo Buisson had a unique childhood. Born in France, he spent his early years in San Francisco and then his family moved to Milwaukee when he was in sixth grade. Spending time at his family’s fishing cabin in northern Wisconsin… - 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…
News
Events
- 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
- PFAS Workshop for High School Teachers, April 3March 25, 2025
- K-12 Educator Groundwater Workshop, June 30March 12, 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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