TeoBuisson 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 piqued his interest in fish.
He headed back to California for college and graduated with an undergraduate degree in marine biology from the University of California–San Diego in December 2024. Summer research at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences fueled his interest in sustainable aquaculture.
A grant from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin supported his undergraduate internship in Professor Dong-Fang Deng’s fish labs. His experience was part of efforts to train a much-needed aquaculture workforce. Buisson credits his hands-on training with helping him to land a job as an aquaculture technician at Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, a nonprofit scientific research organization in Carlsbad, Calif.
“I believe having worked in an aquaculture lab made me a very competitive candidate when applying to jobs in the aquaculture industry,” Buisson says. “It’s an up-and-coming field, with limited numbers of people familiar with aquaculture systems engineering and fish rearing.”
His internship duties included feeding fish stocks, taking daily water quality measurements, and assisting with general aquaculture maintenance such as cleaning tanks and fixing aquaculture systems.
Leading Research and Gaining Confidence
The highlight of his internship — outside of feeding sturgeon and very rowdy tilapia — was leading clinical research. Buisson studied how microplastic contamination in the diet of juvenile yellow perch affects their growth performance, nutritional quality, and heat shock response. He learned how to create special diets, measure perch, run statistics and keep fish happy and healthy overall. He presented his research findings at the World Aquaculture Society in New Orleans.
Studying fish nutrition and learning to care for fish gave Teo Buisson an edge when job hunting.
“Despite being challenging, this experience was incredibly rewarding,” he says. “Presenting the findings to an audience of aquaculture professionals trained me in presenting scientific data concisely, choosing what valuable data to focus on, and maintaining my cool despite being pretty nervous.”
At the conference, he also learned about aquaculture innovations and met other professionals. He says the experience was invaluable in preparing for his career. A few months into his job with Hubbs, Buisson feels confident in his capabilities. Because of his time in Deng’s lab, he knew what to expect and how to quickly learn new protocols and use new equipment. Just as important, he’s excited about his career path.
“I’m interested in the positive effects aquaculture can have in providing a more sustainable source of seafood, as well as its restorative capabilities to mitigate the lasting consequences of overfishing,” Buisson says.
Plus, he says, watching a fish grow from an egg to a market size fish is an awesome way to spend his days.
Written by Heidi Jeter, Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.
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 a major source of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These hazardous chemicals are used widely in household products and manufacturing, and they accumulate in biosolids.
Is Biochar a Solution to PFAS Leaching?
Five years ago, UW-Green Bay faculty began investigating whether land application of biosolids would result in PFAS leaching into groundwater. They received funding from the Freshwater Collaborative to partner with faculty and students from UW-Madison, UW-Platteville and UW-Stevens Point to investigate the issue.
“Not only did the grant provide funding to do the research, but the project was a learning experience in how to collaborate with faculty at different universities,” says Michael Holly, an associate professor at UW-Green Bay who specializes in agricultural waste management.
The team confirmed that use of biosolids can result in PFAS leaching at concentrations hazardous to human health. They also learned that biochar — a charcoal-like substance made by burning organic material such as forestry waste — may mitigate contamination. As part of the project, undergraduates from the four universities tested woodchip-based biochar to determine its effectiveness in adsorbing PFAS from soil.
The Freshwater Collaborative awarded a second grant in 2023 so the team could test biochar filter media on a working agricultural field. Holly and his colleague Kpoti Gunn, an assistant professor at UW-Green Bay, partnered with a local farmer who has been using biosolids on his fields. The research team installed moisture sensors and soil water sampling tools on his fields last summer.
“The first year, we observed the fields without the application of biochar,” Gunn says. “The goal this year is to prepare the field along with the farmer, apply biochar, and compare the results.”
Water samples collected from the field are sent to UW-Milwaukee to test PFAS levels. Holly and Gunn are collaborating with Yin Wang, associate professor at UW-Milwaukee, who recently received a two-year grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to identify a more efficient approach of removing PFAS from water.
Students Receive Water-Quality Training
Andrew Votis, a senior at UW-Green Bay, has worked with Gunn for the past year and a half. This spring, he is helping to set up and implement the crop plan for the research plot. The research has provided professional training for his future career and also has personal meaning.
“My wife and I run a dairy farm north of Green Bay in the Coleman-Peshtigo area, so my background made me a natural fit for the project,” he says.
Votis will graduate in summer 2025 with a degree in Environmental Engineering Technology, and he appreciates the practical skills he’s developed while conducting undergraduate research at UW-Green Bay.
“My work with Dr. Gunn has strengthened my ability to communicate with various groups, manage a team, as well as increased my understanding of the intricacies of research projects,” he says.
Jonna Rosenthal participated in the research last summer as part of the Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program, also funded by the Freshwater Collaborative. Rosenthal is a senior at Smith College in Massachusetts where they have studied the effects of ocean acidification and salt-water contamination. They wanted to work on freshwater systems and were particularly interested in emerging contaminants such as PFAS.
Jonna Rosenthal and Kpoti Gunn install moisture sensors in a field to help measures PFAS levels.
“It was incredibly rewarding to collaborate with the faculty at UW-Green Bay,” they say. “I attend a small liberal arts school, so I had no experience with scientific work at a research institution. It was amazing to have access to analytic equipment and other esteemed scientists with whom I could collaborate.”
Rosenthal graduates in May 2025 and will begin work as an environmental scientist with AECOM, a global infrastructure consulting firm. They will research groundwater contamination.
“This work includes testing and monitoring sediments and groundwater, a skill that I developed during my collaboration with Dr. Gunn,” they say.
The project has already trained 13 undergraduates, and two graduate students are conducting research for their thesis. Another Freshwater@UW Scholar will join Votis on the project this summer.
What they learn could identify practical solutions to PFAS leaching — and give farmers a cost-effective tool for protecting groundwater near their fields.
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 ISO-certified recycled metal to steel mills and local foundries.
The company prides itself on its sustainable practices, but it has a costly challenge. When rainwater falls into the metal collection containers, it becomes contaminated by oils and other fluids on the metals. Sadoff pays by the gallon for the contaminated water to be hauled away and treated before being safely released into the environment.
Could there be a way to treat the water on site so it would be clean enough to meet sanitary requirements for discharging it into the city sewer system? In 2022, Sadoff teamed up with UW Oshkosh faculty and students to research solutions.
“The collaboration between a local university and industry is an exciting adventure,” says Gary Griessmeyer, Sadoff’s environmental compliance manager. “We are in the scrap industry not chemistry or biology. Students help us learn while they learn.”
Pilot Research to Test Solutions
A grant from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin provided funding for Associate Professor Marcel Dijkstra to hire three undergraduate students to conduct pilot studies to test various processes of contaminant removal.
Dijkstra says the goal is to develop a cost-effective way to separate oil, cutting fluids and particulate matter containing heavy metals from the stormwater collected in scrap metal containers. This would allow Sadoff to clean the water on site – saving them money and reducing their carbon footprint while protecting the environment.
The Sadoff partnership is one of the Water Technology Enterprise projects at UW Oshkosh. These projects, funded through a larger Freshwater Collaborative grant, foster new research partnerships between the university’s Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) and external companies. Dijkstra notes that companies often don’t have the time or in-house expertise for smaller research projects. Having students work on them is cost effective and provides real-life experience to the students.
“This isn’t a class project,” he says. “It brings the educational component to a completely different level.”
Tyler Peskie, a UW Oshkosh undergraduate, says working directly with an industry partner was an eye opener in terms of career possibilities. He graduates in May 2025 with a degree in environmental engineering technology.
“The first benefit of working on this experiment is that it gives me possible employment opportunities for more waste-related jobs,” he says. “Secondly, it benefited the university … it puts a lot more emphasis on research and application for industrial use.”
Tim Sommer, who graduated from UW Oshkosh in December 2023, notes that many companies in the area work closely together, so experience working as a partner with a company can lead to further job opportunities. He secured a job as a consulting environmental scientist after graduation. Now he’s a corporate environmental engineer at Green Bay Packaging. He says having this project on his resume got his foot in the door.
“It is crucial to seek out experience outside of the classroom,” he says. “This is where many ‘soft skills’ are learned and many networking opportunities can be found.”
UW Oshkosh students tour the Sadoff facilities with Gary Griessmeyer, Environmental Compliance Manager (left) and CEO Mark Lasky (right).
Creating Ongoing Partnerships
The students have finished the pilot research funded through the grant, and Dijkstra is continuing to work with Sadoff to refine the processes. He incorporates the project data into his classroom activities, and students enrolled in his class tour the Sadoff facility. The most recent tests are promising.
Griessmeyer is pleased with the progress and would encourage other business to partner with universities on research.
“When people think about water, they think about agriculture and phosphorus. They don’t think about other businesses that need help,” he says. “Even if we don’t get to the end game, I think it’s something that we really can put it in our quiver for now. And as technology gets better, we could pull it back out.”
For more information about working with faculty at the UW Oshkosh ERIC, contact (920) 424-3148 or eric@uwosh.edu.
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 river restoration professionals while monitoring the impacts of dam removal on the Kinnickinnic River. The annual data is provided to the City of River Falls and the Kinni Corridor Collaborative, a nonprofit that is leading fundraising efforts for the dam removal and river restoration work.
As a non-traditional student, Boss knew the benefits of gaining practical hands-on experience as a student. He describes working on the 2024 DAM Crew as a crash course in geomorphology and data collection and analysis. In addition to learning technical skills, he says working with traditional-aged students was a great experience, and he appreciates that the data benefits the River Falls community.
Boss and his team were trained by a former geomorphologist from Inter-Fluve who co-authored the city’s 10-year dam removal monitoring plan. He feels the professional mentoring will give him an advantage as he applies for summer internships and jobs after graduation in 2026.
Robert Boss is confident his experience has prepared him for a career in aquatic restoration.
“Having the DAM Crew on my resume and having already done data collection shows the hiring manager that they won’t have to be as intensive in training me,” Boss says. “They can rely on me to know my stuff.”
He’s already landed a fall internship with the Kinnickinnic River Land Trust, another project partner. Boss also presented his DAM Crew research at the 2025 Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers conference. It was his first time presenting data-driven research in a professional setting, and he appreciated getting feedback from other water professionals.
“All the skills I learned will directly translate to a career in aquatic restoration,” he says. “I would definitely recommend this to any student who’s interested. Go join the DAM Crew because it’s well worth it.”
UW-River Falls faculty are currently recruiting 12 undergraduates from any campus for its 2025 DAM Crew, which will take place July 28 to Aug. 8. Applications are due May 20. Details here.
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 for the workforce.
Experimentation and Analysis in Freshwater Sciences 513, a field course for undergraduate and graduate students, reflects the importance of multidisciplinary highly applicable research. Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin funding supported course enhancements, which include hands-on training with water professionals.
“The strongest part of the redesigned course is that it focuses on a pipeline to jobs,” says Sandra McLellan, a UWM professor who worked on the course update. “Students are not only learning field and lab methods, but they are participating in real-world applications of those techniques with practitioners.”
Partners from US Geological Society (USGS), the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Stantec and Watertech of America advised on the new curriculum and are co-teaching field work. For example, in fall 2024, USGS collaborators taught students how to take water samples and took students into nearby streams to capture invertebrates for biological indices and to use electrofishing to examine fish diversity.
Throughout the course, students learn a variety of water quality analysis techniques, microbiology techniques, fish sampling and analysis, water and bacterial sampling, and biotic indices. They also gain the skills to conduct and analyze experiments. More students in majors outside of freshwater sciences are taking the course to better understand the basics of monitoring and analyzing water quality.
Students also gain unique insight into how university researchers form long-term partnerships with government agencies and private sector companies to tackle water-related issues.
“This is a field class, but there are ample opportunities for students to have conversations about what a job is like or how joint research projects work,” McLellan says.
For those who want to work in water-related careers, the networking opportunities provide a leg up in the job market. Not only do they have practical skills after taking the course, but they also have a professional network and knowledge of the kinds of jobs that are available.
Engaging with students also benefits employers. Hayley Olds, a graduate of the School of Freshwater Sciences master’s program and a hydrologist with the USGS, was involved in one of the classes. She taught students biological sampling methods and how to calculate metrics that can determine stream health.
“The USGS connects with future scientists through university courses like Freshwater Sciences 513, where we showcase our diverse research initiatives,” Olds says. “These interactions help spread awareness about the wide range of scientific work conducted at USGS, inspiring the next generation of researchers.”
Experimentation and Analysis in Freshwater Sciences 513 is offered every fall. Prerequisites are junior standing with BIO SCI 152 and CHEM 104 or equivalents, or graduate student standing. The next offering will take place Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-12:10 p.m. beginning Sept. 2, 2025. UWM students register through PAWS. Non-UWM students can enroll as a special student/guest student. Email Mal Kaul, head of Academic Services for School of Freshwater Sciences, for details.
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 her sophomore year. Oplanic was interested in King-Heiden’s research, which uses fish as a model for studying how contaminants affect reproduction and the immune system. She thought the research would give her applicable training in cell biology and genetics.
“The lab is the perfect place to get hands-on experience,” she says.
She began by helping older students with their research experiments and caring for the fish in the lab. Now, she’s a leader in the lab and on campus.
Testing PFAS Effects on Immune Function
Her research is looking at the effects of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These humanmade chemicals, found in everyday products, have contaminated groundwater and drinking water. They have been linked to cancer, liver damage, birth defects and more. Findings from a 2020 study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggest that 98 percent of the U.S. population has PFAS in their blood.
With a pilot grant from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, Oplanic helped to develop an assay to test whether PFAS exposure reduces immune system function in fish.
The pilot grant led to a $260,000 Wisconsin Sea Grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to use the assay to further study how PFAS affect the health and survival of fish embryos. Their findings could provide insight into the risk of human embryos exposed to PFAS. For example, exposure before birth could lead babies to have immune deficiencies or reduced response to vaccinations.
In addition to the technical skills she’s gained, Oplanic has worked with experts at UW-Madison and the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene. She was able to see how her research skills can apply to many careers.
“Working in this lab showed me that I love cell biology and genetics and that I can use those skills in a variety of ways,” Oplanic says. “I can apply knowledge from my classes and from learning to create assays to many fields.”
Building Campus and Community Connections
The biggest benefit to working in the lab? It encouraged her to expand connections to other students and faculty as well as the broader community. She’s actively involved on campus and helped revive the student organization Asian, Latin, African, and Native American (ALANA) Women. She’s a resident assistant and the first student leadership development intern in the Office of Multicultural Student Services.
Oplanic is a leader on campus and she credits her research for helping her to connect with others
“Anika is very well spoken, and very dedicated to research and educating the public about science,” King-Heiden says.
Oplanic, who will graduate in May, is particularly passionate about communicating research findings to the community. She hadn’t heard of PFAS until moving to La Crosse and learning how PFAS have affected residents of nearby French Island. PFAS have contaminated their private wells, making it unsafe to drink the tap water and causing concerns about health risks.
“I can talk to professors all day about PFAS research, but it doesn’t mean anything if the community isn’t aware” she says. “PFAS is a community health issue, and it’s important for scientists to connect with the community.”
Having honed her presentation skills at symposiums and community events, Oplanic is well-versed in explaining her research. Now, she is ready to use those skills as she launches her career.
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 Oshkosh West High School. “Being able to go into my freshman year of college with prior lab experiences will definitely be useful!”
Mueller conducted water quality and phosphorus pollution research in summer 2024 as part of UW-Green Bay’s High School Freshwater Summer Scholars Program, which was developed with funding from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.
Emily Tyner, director of freshwater strategy at UW-Green Bay, would like to hire 10-12 high school students for summer 2025. Applications are due April 14. More information here.
Students selected for the program receive a stipend of $1,500 to participate in 120 hours of active research. They work side-by-side with faculty, undergraduate and graduate student mentors and researchers.
In addition, participants explore water science careers through field trips and presentations. They are also invited to present a poster of their work at the annual Lakeshore Water Summit in October 2025.
This year’s research projects will be based in Green Bay, Manitowoc, Appleton and Two Rivers. Participants will work on a UW-Green Bay faculty research project or with one of three partner organizations — Wisconsin Sea Grant, Northeast Wisconsin Land Trust, or Woodland Dunes Nature Center and Preserve.
Students will work on research related to water-quality monitoring, lake sturgeon reproduction, bird monitoring, agricultural runoff, blue-green algae blooms, conservation engagement, or environmental education.
Mueller worked with a research team led by Erin Berns-Herrboldt, assistant professor, that is looking at phosphorus pollution. The one-on-one mentorship maximized her learning.
“Going into the internship, I had a strong idea of what I wanted to eventually achieve, but not the classes or knowledge of what I needed to do to earn it,” she says. “[Through the program,] I was exposed to a wider variety of majors within the freshwater field.”
She now feels prepared to start a bachelor’s degree program at the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences in fall.
When it comes to PFAS research and education, Seyed Javad Amirfakhri is professionally and personally invested. Amirfakhri is an Assistant Professor of Paper science and Chemical Engineering at UW-Stevens Point who is conducting innovative PFAS removal research. He also has five children and wants to make sure drinking water is safe for them and others.
PFAS are a group of humanmade chemicals found in thousands of products, such as nonstick cookware and firefighting foam. In recent years, they have been linked to significant health concerns, including cancer. Due to their widespread use, PFAS have contaminated the drinking water across the United States. Numerous communities in Wisconsin have reached levels that require residents to drink bottled water.
Amirfakhri and Xuejeun Pan, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor and Douglas D. Sorenson Professor at UW-Madison, received funding from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin to test ways to remove PFAS from water. They are also raising awareness of PFAS by hosting educational events for middle school and high school students and teachers. The next event will be a virtual and in-person workshop on April 3 to provide high school educators with PFAS-related lessons and activities for their classrooms.
Identifying Materials That Remove PFAS
One of the biggest challenges is that PFAS are hard to remove from water. Activated carbon, however, has been shown to adsorb PFAS. Amirfakhri has determined that adding silver to activated carbon increases its capacity to adsorb PFAS from water. The PFAS molecules attach to the activated carbon.
Activated carbon can come from a variety of sources. The researchers are determining which sources of activated carbon best adsorb PFAS. The UW-Madison scientists synthesize activated carbon by burning renewable materials, such as corncobs and various nuts. The UW-Stevens Point tests the activated carbon for effectiveness to remove PFAS.
“We looked at adsorption capacity, picked the best ones and optimized the conditions to improve adsorption capacity,” Amirfakhri says. “Activated carbon from kapok fiber and Douglas fir trees have had the highest capacity.”
Several students from UW-Stevens Point and UW-Madison have been trained on PFAS research methods. They’ve learned how to prepare samples, measure PFAS in the samples and remove them from water in a laboratory setting. Amirfakhri and Pan have also incorporated the research findings into courses they teach at their respective campuses.
Ben Zobel, a junior majoring in paper science and chemical engineering, began working on the project in spring 2024. He wanted to gain research experience in chemical engineering before he graduates in 2026.
“It’s been a great opportunity and learning experience,” Zobel says. “And it’s fun to work with Dr. Seyed.”
PFAS Lessons for Youth and Educators
Beyond learning technical skills that will help them in the workforce, the university students help disseminate the research results, engage the community with STEM education, and increase public awareness of PFAS contamination.
For example, Zobel and fellow students Michael Karsten Lilla, Christopher Tomaszewski, and Olivia Stellpflug co-authored a paper that was recently published in Chemosphere, a prestigious peer-reviewed journal in environmental engineering. They also presented a poster at the Jim & Katie Krause CNR Student Research Symposium at UW-Stevens Point. Zobel is completing a review paper that will compile all the research taking place into methods of destroying PFAS. The information will help determine next steps in PFAS research.
Wyatt Braman, a UW-Madison undergraduate, presented the research at the UW-Madison Summer STEM Catalyst poster session. The event is geared toward younger students to spark their interest in water remediation.
Amirfakhri and his student team also developed a workshop for middle schoolers. Students learn about the dangers of PFAS and build a basic water filtration system. The workshop has been offered four times at STEAM Point Days, one-day conferences for students in grades 6-8 that focuses on careers in science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics.
Feedback from the workshop was used to create the virtual and in-person workshop for high school educators on April 3. Educators will receive three to four hours of lessons they can bring into their classrooms. Each lesson includes multiple hands-on activities and experiments. The undergraduates will help prepare materials and lead lessons during the workshop. Register for the workshop here.
“For high school students, a lesson has to include many attractive parts to keep students engaged,” Amirfakhri says. He stresses the importance of raising awareness with younger students. “They will be the future engineers and problem solvers.”
Next Steps for Research
Currently, activated carbon filters that are installed under sinks are an effective option for removing PFAS from drinking water. The researchers hope to use their findings to make more effective filters for PFAS.
Amirfakhri is particularly optimistic about using activated carbon from Douglas firs. Though not native to Wisconsin, the tree species grows well in the state. He sees an opportunity for Wisconsin’s timber industry if effective PFAS filters can be created from Douglas firs.
Once a better filter is created, the next step would be to develop a method to decompose PFAS from the activated carbon to safe final products, such fluoride ions .
“These results can pave the way for more efficient filters to remove PFAS, thus improving water quality substantially in Wisconsin,” Amirfakhri says.
Written by Heidi Jeter, Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin
If you’ve seen blue-green algae on local lakes and rivers, you’ve seen the effects of agricultural runoff — particularly phosphorus pollution. This nutrient contaminates Wisconsin’s freshwater lakes and negatively impacts water quality and safety for human consumption and aquatic life.
A Freshwater Collaborative–funded project led by researchers at UW-Green Bay and UW-Madison is tackling phosphorus pollution head-on. They are combining cutting-edge research with hands-on learning experiences for students of all ages.
“We wanted to lean into using our expertise to think about phosphorus transport because it’s such a big issue in the state,” says Erin Berns-Herrboldt, Assistant Professor of Water Science at UW-Green Bay.
She and Christopher Zahasky, Assistant Professor of Geosciences at UW-Madison, are using the three-year grant funding to analyze controls on phosphorus level fluctuations and how those fluctuations impact surface waters and groundwater. For example, if the Wisconsin River rises rapidly due to heavy rain and flooding, river water with excess nutrients can flow into the streambank groundwater system. Those nutrients, like phosphorus, can then get stored on sediments and potentially re-released at later times. Their work builds upon research previously funded by the Freshwater Collaborative at other universities that has looked at other aspects of phosphorus transport and removal.
The researchers anticipate their results will inform land, nutrient, and water management decisions.
A Collaborative Research Effort
A key partner in this effort is the Upham Woods Outdoor Learning Center, which provides an ideal setting for field research and educational outreach.
“Upham Woods is an amazing site,” Zahasky says. “Infrastructure and lack of resources are often barriers to entry for research. Upham Woods has so many resources and trained staff to support us.”
The center is located on the Wisconsin River just north of Wisconsin Dells in an area of the river known for rapid changes. To monitor and collect data about these fluctuations, the research team set up two sampling locations on Blackhawk Island. Dave Hart, a hydrogeologist with the Wisconsin Geological and Natural History Survey, advised on the field locations, trained students to use the equipment and provides ongoing mentorship.
The project requires a lot of field and lab work, so students learn a diverse set of skills. Six undergraduates enrolled at UW-Madison and UW-Green Bay have conducted research so far. In addition, Henry Barron, a junior at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, participated as a 2024 Freshwater@UW Summer Scholar, a statewide program coordinated by UW-Madison and funded by the Freshwater Collaborative. Berns-Herrboldt and Zahasky hope to host another Freshwater@UW Summer Scholar in 2025.
Vy Le, a PhD student at UW-Madison, led the early fieldwork and is developing protocols for the data sets. She now leads the data analysis and helps train the undergraduates.
Vy Le, middle, conducts fieldwork at Upham Woods.
The students learn how to take water samples and conduct chemical analyses. They also become proficient in using advanced laboratory equipment to measure specific water quality parameters, such as nutrient concentrations and pH levels.
These are key skills for understanding water chemistry, identifying contaminants, and evaluating the health of aquatic ecosystems. These skills will also help students get jobs. One of the first students to work on the project landed a job with an environmental consulting firm upon graduation. She is now working on contaminated groundwater sites throughout the United States.
UW-Green Bay student Jessie Kreiling plans to graduate in May. She is returning to the workforce after a decade-long hiatus and appreciates gaining work experience while earning her degree.
“The opportunity to be a mature student but engage in such interesting work has been fulfilling,” she says. “I am certain that my time spent on this project will make me more marketable to potential employers. This experience has provided me with practical knowledge that will be useful in any career.”
Outreach to Inspire Teens
The grant goes beyond research. The project also engages middle and high school students and ideally inspires them to consider degree programs and careers in water-related professions.
Maddie Mueller, a student at Oshkosh High School, worked on the project as one of 10 students in UW-Green Bay’s High School Summer Scholars Program, which was developed with funding from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. She now intends to attend UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences.
The partnership with Upham Woods connects university faculty and students with middle school students throughout the state. In 2024, they provided introductory field work for middle students who participated in two camps at Upham Woods. They also presented research objectives to K-12 science teachers during a one-day workshop.
“We hope to create a generation of individuals who are aware of and equipped to tackle the state’s specific water challenges,” Zahasky says. “Cultivating these skills early helps ensure a pipeline of skilled workers who can manage and protect Wisconsin’s water resources.”
The collaboration will expand in 2025 and 2026. A portion of the grant funds will be used to bring high school students to Uphams Woods for a day. The graduate and undergraduate students involved in the grant will run activities at the field sites. They hope to educate the younger students about water quality and give them a taste of what it’s like to conduct research.
“It is critical that youth understand that the activities they enjoy are only possible if nonpoint source pollutants, like phosphorus, are monitored and mitigated so that water quality remains high,” says Amy Workman, director of Upham Woods. “Phosphorus is a key component of nonpoint source pollution. Monitoring the amount of phosphorus that enters the Wisconsin River connects directly to monitoring the health of the river ecosystem.”
Sharing with Stakeholders
Research findings are being shared at professional conferences and have been submitted for publication.
Kreiling along with UW-Green Bay undergraduate Claire Igielski and UW-Madison undergraduate Callie Karsten were selected as Freshwater Collaborative Research Fellows to present their work at Research in the Rotunda April 2 at the State Capitol. Students share their research findings with state legislators, state business and nonprofit leaders, UW alumni, and other supporters.
Le presented the preliminary findings at two American Geophysical Union annual meetings, which attract more than 25,000 attendees from around the world.
She also was one of four students to win a presentation award at the Wisconsin chapter of the American Water Resources Association. She connected with researchers, regulators and policymakers, and community stakeholders from across the state.
“Knowing others who are doing similar research in Wisconsin makes me feel like my research has a tangible outcome,” Le says. “I can see the reason why I’m doing this. It will directly benefit the community.”
Riverbed sediments can be an important source of phosphorus to Wisconsin waterways, increasing blue-green algae and negatively impacting aquatic health, human health, and local economies.
With a three-year grant from the Freshwater Collaborative, faculty and students at UW-Green Bay and UW-Madison are evaluating which conditions lead to the storage or release of phosphorus in the Wisconsin River. Read more about the project.
Here’s what students say about their phosphorus transport research.
Claire Igielski, UW-Green Bay undergraduate majoring in environmental science, geosience and water science
Callie Karsten, UW-Madison undergraduate majoring in geology and geophysics
Jessie Kreiling, UW-Green Bay undergraduate majoring in water science, minoring in geoscience
Vy Le, UW-Madison PhD student in hydrology
What have been the most important professional/technical skills you’ve learned?
Igielski: During this project, I have been able to gain skills in group work in a field setting, such as putting in multilevel samplers along the stream bank, taking pore water samples and taking the appropriate field measurements, and also being able to problem solve in real-time.
Karsten: One of the most valuable skills I’ve developed through this project is problem solving. It has taught me how to approach challenges independently while also recognizing when it’s okay to ask for help.
Kreiling: While working on this project, I have learned various professional and technical skills. I have been exposed to several technologies and tools, such as the AQ300. As far as professional skills go, this opportunity has allowed me to foster interpersonal skills between my peers and professors.
Le: This is my first time doing collaborative research at this level. The first skill I learned was how to install equipment in the field. I learned techniques for water sampling and how to get meaningful data. I’ve used multiple instruments at three labs across UW-Madison. Now I am mentoring the undergraduates from Madison and Green Bay. I help lead them in terms of field sampling and teaching techniques in the field. In the future, when they have research that they want to present, I will be supporting them in terms of data analysis. I’m also learning how to manage a large dataset and analyze the data in a collaborative environment so information can be extracted easily.
What are the benefits to collaborating with students and faculty at another university and with external groups, such as Upham Woods?
Igielski: Getting the opportunity to collaborate with students and faculty at another university and other external groups has been a great way to connect with more people in the same field of interest. This has given me the opportunity to make connections with people that otherwise I would have never met, which has allowed me to gain new knowledge and insight on the project.
Karsten: Collaborating with other students and faculty has given me the opportunity to observe different ways that people approach their work. It has helped me to better understand the importance of teamwork and collaboration in different environments.
Kreiling: I have enjoyed working alongside my peers and collaborating with various faculty members as well as the staff at Upham Woods. This has helped me become a bit more comfortable engaging with new people regularly and has improved my confidence.
Le: Chris [Zahasky] and Erin [Berns-Herrboldt] have very different background knowledge, which is important. If I identify a problem related to flow and hydrogeologic processes, Chris can guide me, whereas Erin can give insight on where we would focus for data collection. A benefit of collaboration is that we can discuss the objectives and divide tasks based on expertise and interest. Each student can focus on one area and come back to connect it to the others. Our team in Madison couldn’t do this research alone.
What opportunities has this project opened for you?
Igielski: My favorite part of this experience was being able to be in the field and learning new skills as well as getting the chance to run analytical equipment back in the lab at UW-Green Bay. Every sampling trip was an amazing time. Working alongside a group of talented women has been an experience I will take with me throughout my career. Working on this project has also helped me during my search and applications for a master’s program. The experience that I gained on this project is something that will aid me greatly during the next step in my academic career at graduate school.
Karsten: My favorite part of this experience has been the opportunity to do fieldwork. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work outdoors while learning valuable skills.
Kreiling: Some of the opportunities that this has provided me with is giving me some work experience prior to graduation and reentering the workforce after a decade-long hiatus. The opportunity to be a mature student but engage in such interesting work has been fulfilling.
Le: The opportunity to expand my network of scientific collaborators is tremendously helpful. I get to connect with different people. Not everyone at Madison has research similar to mine. When I presented my research at the AGU (American Geophysical Union) annual meetings, I met people from USGS who are studying phosphorus in the East River. From presenting at AWRA, I learned about other folks doing different research and their methods. Knowing people doing similar things in Wisconsin makes me feel like my research has a tangible outcome. I can see the reason why I’m doing this. It will directly benefit the community.
How will this experience help you attain your career goals?
Igielski: It is my goal to work at a research institute. The skills and experience that I gained during this project are the solid foundations of skills that I can expand in the future.
Karsten: This experience has not only provided me with valuable problem solving and field skills that will be useful in the future, but it has also helped me narrow down my interests. It’s a big reason why I’m now considering pursuing hydrogeology.
Kreiling: I am certain that my time spent on this project will make me more marketable to potential employers. This experience has provided me with practical knowledge that will be useful in any career.
Le: After I graduate, I really want to continue doing research, probably at a national laboratory or research institution. This research has really equipped me with interdisciplinary research skills. I know now how to do geochemical analysis, and I know a little bit of field work, and I feel like there are a lot of things I can teach myself.
