Wisconsinite knows that Door County and northern Wisconsin are recreational wonderlands in the summertime. These areas of the state also offer a wealth of options for learning about freshwater science.
UW Oshkosh’s Field Sampling and Analysis course, which is supported by the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin, provides university students at any level with the opportunity to learn in some of the state’s most beautiful places: the Lowenwood campus in Land O’ Lakes and Crossroads at Big Creek in Door County.
“This class is open to students from all campuses,” says Greg Kleinheinz, chair of the UW Oshkosh Department of Engineering and Engineering Technology. “It explores areas of the state that are not well represented by a UW campus.”
Students Gain Applicable Skills
The three-credit course is designed for undergraduates with no prior field work or lab experience. It couples short lectures with experiential learning that prepares students for the workforce or graduate study.
Nearly 40 students have taken the course during the past three summers, including one from Cardinal Stritch in Milwaukee, one from UW-Madison and another from Michigan Technological University. The faculty hope to increase the number of non-UW Oshkosh students in the future.
Though only two weeks long, the course packs in learning. Students participate in several hands-on labs to familiarize them with freshwater-related topics. They then split into groups and use industry grade sampling equipment to sample local lakes and streams. The collected data is aggregated to an overall dataset, which students use to analyze the water quality of the system of study. Additional activities focus on sediment monitoring, chlorophyll and nutrients, macroinvertebrates, and pollutants in groundwater that can contaminate wells.
“This is a very active class and teaches many practical skills,” says Marcel Dijkstra, who co-teaches the course.
Networking Opportunities Add to Course’s Popularity
The collected data is shared with the Fox-Wolf Watershed Alliance (FWWA), a local nonprofit working to improve water quality. Dijkstra notes that several students have become members of the FWWA and volunteer for clean-up events and other field work.
He adds that several students have used the class as a launching point for graduate school or careers in water-related sectors, including with U.S. Venture and the Fond du Lac Health Department.
Students also connect with professionals working for other UW Oshkosh partners to provide a comprehensive experience. This includes Crossroads at Big Creek, Baileys Harbor Wastewater Treatment Facility, Door County Brewing, and Northern Adventures.
“Students use the local landscapes to explore concepts and hands-on teaching. This includes learning from those in the area about the challenges and then working on solutions for these problems,” Kleinheinz says. “The lab and field skills are practical to a number of industries, including water and wastewater, soil and water conservation, and storm water treatment.”
Student demand for this class has been increasing as word spreads. Several students who have taken the class have asked UW Oshkosh to develop a follow-up course as they enjoyed the hands-on practical approach.
See Freshwater Collaborative Course Listing for details.