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.
“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.
Written by Heidi Jeter, Freshwater Collaborative.