Funded Projects
The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin invests in programs that recruit, retain and train students for Wisconsin’s water workforce.
Our funding is part of a statewide initiative, backed by the Wisconsin State Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers, to tackle 10 grand water challenges. We support K-12 outreach programs, hands-on coursework, undergraduate research opportunities and internships, career development, and field training experiences at the 13 Universities of Wisconsin.
Download a PDF of our Current Outcomes Report
If you would like a print copy, please email freshwater-collab@uwm.edu.
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A Collaborative Research on Synthesis of Carbon-based Materials
Original Project Description: PFAS is a group of chemicals detected in the drinking water of millions of Americans due to their widespread applications. They have been linked to several health concerns. The main objective of this work is to synthesize graphene oxide (GO) from sustainable resources, such as walnut shells, and to investigate the performance of GO for PFAS removal from water. Several students from UW-Stevens Point and UW-Madison will be trained to perform the research. Moreover, they will participate in disseminating the results, collaborating with industrial partners, engaging our community with STEM education, and increasing public scientific literacy on PFAS contamination.
Outcomes: This project advanced the science and technology of PFAS removal and also played a vital role in strengthening Wisconsin’s water education, outreach, and workforce capacity. The research team synthesized and optimized several carbon-based adsorbents for PFAS removal, trained six undergraduate students (surpassing the original goal of two), delivered multiple internal and external presentations and posters, and established a strong collaboration between UW-Stevens Point and UW-Madison.
Multiple undergraduate and graduate students were trained in PFAS remediation techniques. Undergraduates were directly involved in synthesizing nanomaterials and preparing various samples for PFAS removal studies. They conducted adsorption experiments, performed data collection and analysis using Excel, and characterized the materials to evaluate their performance. They also executed experimental procedures, maintained laboratory records, analyzed results, and prepared technical reports. These students are now equipped with specialized knowledge and laboratory skills relevant to addressing current and emerging water quality challenges in the state. One student is now working at Fehr Graham Engineering and Environmental.
In addition to their research contributions, students were deeply involved in disseminating project results. They helped conduct a hands-on PFAS workshop for 7th- and 8th-grade students during the STEAM Point Day at UW-Stevens Point. They also helped with two classroom presentations to ninth-grade students at P.J. Jacobs Junior High School in Stevens Point.
They presented research posters at multiple venues, including the Jim & Katie Krause College of Natural Resources Student Research Symposium at UW–Stevens Point and the 48th Annual Meeting of the Wisconsin Section of the American Water Resources Association (AWRA). Students contributed to the preparation of three research manuscripts, including one published in Chemosphere.
The team developed and distributed a PFAS education module for high school teachers across Wisconsin, including a workshop offered online and in person. Twenty-three educators from Wisconsin and one from Minnesota participated in this program. The University of Southern California contacted them after discovering the PFAS education materials on the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin website, expressing interest in collaboration and further discussion. The PIs have received two additional grants to expand their research into continuous-flow PFAS filtration systems and further improve treatment efficiency for safe drinking water compliance.
Read more: A Novel Approach to PFAS Removal and Awareness Efforts
Deposition and Removal of Emerging Contaminants in the Milwaukee Estuary Area of Concern
Original Project Description: The Greater Milwaukee Estuary faces pollution from emerging contaminants, such as PFAS and pharmaceuticals, posing risks to both the environment and public health. These contaminants are removed from the water through natural processes and accumulate in sediment, where they can persist for long periods, threatening organisms and humans who come in contact with them. The pollution history of these contaminants in the estuary remains poorly understood. This collaborative research project involves the analysis of sediment cores to study the contaminants’ history and behavior. The findings will aid in managing and remediating aquatic contaminations.
Outcomes: Participants included students from multiple states, many of whom had no prior exposure to freshwater science. Introducing these students to freshwater-focused research contributed to workforce development by expanding awareness and building foundational skills in the field. This project has involved high school, undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students, all of whom were trained on equipment by the Water Science and Engineering Laboratory. The project also served as a platform for hosting students through the Freshwater@UW summer research opportunities program. In addition, students participated in UW Graduate School events and training sessions offered through UW-Madison.
Students were trained to operate advanced analytical instruments, including the quartz crystal microbalance, and gained experience in data analysis and scientific communication. These skills increase their competitiveness for future positions in the freshwater sector and help produce specialists capable of working with high-tech instrumentation. The research conducted under this project generated new molecular-level knowledge on contaminant behavior in freshwater systems. These findings contribute to a better understanding of contaminant fate and may inform future strategies for improving contaminant removal from waterways. Presentation of the data at multiple national and regional conferences meeting raised awareness of Wisconsin’s water challenges and highlighted the research efforts taking place in the state. Preliminary results from this project were used to support the development of proposals submitted to federal funding agencies, which would extend the impact of the initial investment.
Development of a Collaborative Undergraduate Research Experience to Improve Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Adsorption in Nanoporous Solids
Original Project Description: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (aka PFAS) are emerging contaminants in Wisconsin’s waterways. This project provides funding to develop a collaborative undergraduate research experience between UW-Stevens Point and UW-Milwaukee to develop new PFAS adsorption technology. Researchers will test our technology against PFAS contaminated waters including real-world samples from Wisconsin’s waterways. Hands-on experience using start-of-the-art instrumentation will prepare students to enter the workforce with experience in PFAS chemistry, analysis, and treatment.
Outcomes: Students are involved in the synthesis and characterization of novel nanoporous materials, testing their ability to remove PFAS from water, data workup and analysis, and experimental planning. The research team has developed materials that can remove a broad range of PFAS from water. They are now working with collaborators to better understand whether these materials can become functional solutions to help address this problem.
The major outcomes for this grant so far have been: publication of a manuscript (https://doi.org/10.1021/acsomega.5c05815) with seven undergraduate student authors; preparation of a second manuscript that will have joint publication with all PIs; and multiple presentations at the American Chemical Society-Great Lakes Regional Meeting. Two of the undergraduates received the “Peer Choice Poster Award” for their presentations. In addition, during the summer of 2025, the PI hosted a Freshwater@UW undergraduate student from UW-Madison, and one of the undergraduates working in the lab completed an internship at UW-La Crosse. Students have also found jobs upon graduation including at Fehr Graham Engineering & Environmental. In November 2024 the PI gave a short presentation about the project at a legislative informational session hosted by the Sen. Cowles and Rep. Kitchens.
Read more:
- Collaboration Creates Undergraduate PFAS Research Experience
- Student Research: Adsorption of PFAS in Metal-Organic Frameworks
- Student Profiles: PFAS Training and Mentoring
Development of Stable Carbon-Based Adsorbents with Metal Nanoparticles for PFAS Adsorption and Decomposition: Research, Education, and Community Engagement
This project develops a new type of carbon-based material with tiny metal particles that can both capture PFAS from water and break them down into safe final products such as water and carbon dioxide. Students play a central role in this research, working in the lab to make and test these materials, run experiments, and analyze results. They also share their findings with the public, present at conferences, and develop hands-on PFAS workshops for K-12 students and teachers. This project addresses a critical water quality challenge while preparing the next generation of scientists and engineers to protect Wisconsin’s water resources.
Empowering the Next Generation of Water Stewards Through Transformative Research Experiences: Tackling the Toxicity of PFAS to Larval Fishes
Various communities across Wisconsin struggle with PFAS-contaminated water and the impacts of these forever chemicals on ecosystem and human health. This project addresses knowledge gaps with respect to sensitivities of fish larvae to environmentally relevant concentrations of PFAS. The fish toxicity assays evaluate effects on key developmental milestones that can impact the ability of fish populations to sustain themselves, and data translates to human health. Working with undergraduate and master’s level students, faculty is examining impacts on development, behavior and the immune system. Beyond technical experience, students gain familiarity with goal-oriented project management and effective time management, while strengthening their written and oral communication skills. These experiences develop competencies that speak to career-readiness and prepares students for success in graduate programs.
Engaging Undergraduate Students in Cutting-Edge Research on the Use of Earth Materials for the Removal of Contaminants including Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS)
Original Project Description: Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are forever chemicals, indicating that they stay in water and the environment permanently. UW-Parkside and UW-Milwaukee will engage 10 undergraduate students per year to conduct cutting-edge research for PFAS and color dyes removal from water. In addition, they will conduct PFAS analyses using state-of-the-art instruments for water samples collected from local drainage and Lake Michigan. The results will help southeastern Wisconsin to develop strategies to remove emerging contaminants from water and to help protect the region from contamination by forever chemicals.
Outcomes: Students and faculty engaged in contaminant removal using earth material and modified earth materials. This included collaborations with colleagues at China University of Geosciences (Beijing), China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), and Fujian Agricultural University. Undergraduate students have been trained to perform laboratory experiments for the use of natural/processed minerals for the removal of contaminants and the use of molecular dynamics simulations to understand the underlying mechanisms. Data is also being incorporated into a course at UW-Milwaukee. The findings from this project have led to three research publications. The research team used the data to develop successful proposals to secure external funding for PFAS research from Wisconsin Sea Grant, Department of Defense, and Wisconsin Groundwater Research Coordination Council. These projects have also trained three graduate students, and two of them are working for Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and United States Geological Survey.
Engaging Undergraduate Students in Cutting-Edge Research on the Use of Earth Materials for the Removal of Contaminants including Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS)
Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are forever chemicals that stay in water and the environment permanently. In the previous project, researchers focused on legacy PFAS such as PFOA and PFOS. Recently, there is a growing concern about the occurrence and environmental impacts of an emerging type of PFAS, bis-perfluoroalkyl sulfonimides (bis-FASIs). Thanks to their excellent electrical conductivity, electrochemical stability, low volatility, and low flammability, bis-FASIs have been widely used as electrolyte and antistatic agents to produce rechargeable LiBs. The continuation of this project is allowing faculty researchers to work with and train undergraduate students to study the presence of bis-FASIs in Wisconsin’s surface water and groundwater and to quantify the removal efficiency of bis-FASIs through adsorption and/or filtration.
Freshwater@UW: An Immersive Undergraduate Summer Research Opportunities Program for the University of Wisconsin System
Original Project Description: The Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program provides immersive, hands-on mentored research experiences to 27 promising undergraduates within the 13 member institutions of the Freshwater Collaborative. The program’s central aim is to support the growth of our freshwater research enterprise and freshwater workforce through collaborative, cross-system programming designed to train, recruit, retain and diversify the next generation of freshwater professionals. Funds will support the third and fourth year of implementation and continued program development as we strive to create new, high-impact opportunities for talented students to build their skill and cultivate relationships within the UW System to that will help them seek further training in freshwater science.
Outcomes: The Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program delivered high-impact, immersive research experiences to students across the Universities of Wisconsin system and beyond. Sixty-five undergraduates conducted summer research over the course of this grant. An additional 34 graduate students conducted research and provided mentorship on projects. Students developed a wide range of skills through hands-on research, mentorship, and structured professional development. These included technical competencies, research knowledge, communication abilities, and personal growth.
Freshwater research projects across multiple UW campuses and partner institutions addressed eight Grand Water Challenges, focused on topics ranging from PFAS remediation, phosphorus runoff and aquaponics to water treatment technologies, watershed restoration and nanoplastics. Weekly seminars for students covered topics such as scientific communication, graduate school navigation and career pathways. Students also participated in a capstone symposium featuring flash talks and poster presentations. The program provided stipends, housing, travel, and logistical support to ensure student access and ability to engage in mentored research.
More than 70% of students reported increased interest in pursuing careers in freshwater science, and 68% said the program strengthened their desire to pursue further work in Wisconsin, helping retain talent in-state. The combination of hands-on research, mentorship, and professional development continues to make Freshwater@UW a model for statewide collaboration and student impact.
Read More
- Catching the Research Bug: Freshwater@UW Program Shaped a Water Scientist’s Future
- Freshwater@UW Students Wrap Up a Summer of Discovery in Wisconsin
- Freshwater@UW Summer Program Leads to a Publication and Career Opportunities
- Freshwater@UW Orientation Week Showcases Wisconsin as the Place to Work in Water
Land Application and the Occurrence, Fate and Mitigation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances and Nitrate
Original Project Description: In Wisconsin, land application is typically the most cost-effective and common practice for handling biosolids, the semi-solid residual of wastewater treatment. However, groundwater contamination is a potential risk Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a suspected hazardous chemical present in numerous household products and used in manufacturing, aren’t included in biosolids land application regulations. This research will help predict future PFAS groundwater contamination, generate future guidelines to protect groundwater wells from PFAS, identify Wisconsin groundwater sources at risk, and evaluate a low-cost treatment (biochar produced from agricultural waste) to minimize PFAS and nitrate leaching. Undergraduates will be trained in methods for measuring the fate and transport of contaminants that affect water quality.
Outcomes: This project funded a total of eight undergraduates from four universities — UW-Green Bay, UW-Madison, UW-Platteville and UW-Stevens Point — to work on research under the mentorship of the PI from UW-Green Bay. Students conducted water quality monitoring and leaching experiments. Their preliminary data was used in two submitted proposals to the USDA, which are pending review. It was also included in a publication in ACS EST Water 2024, 4, 2, 413–426, and presented at the America Water Resources Association virtual conference in 2024.
Mitigating Eutrophication Events: Understanding Controls on Phosphorus Contamination in Surface Water and Groundwater in Western Wisconsin
Original Project Description: Phosphorus loading in Wisconsin is responsible for significant lake eutrophication, causing a loss of recreational tourism, reducing commercial fisheries and decreasing biodiversity. UW faculty and five undergraduate students will collaborate with the USGS Upper Midwest Water Science Center to investigate phosphorus migration in the hydrologic system and the potential impact of nutrient-loading through groundwater discharge on lake eutrophication. Findings may better inform sustainable management of lakes. Interested stakeholders include regulatory agencies, scientific organizations, environmental groups, the agricultural and silica sand mining industries, and communities across the state of Wisconsin and the upper Midwest impacted by phosphorus-driven eutrophication.
Outcomes: The research team sampled groundwater for PFAS testing at 150 homes in Eau Claire County in 2025. The data collected, combined with the data collected by the Eau Claire City County Health Department, will be used to produce a risk analysis of PFAS contamination relative to known sources. The data collected in 2024 were used by the Wisconsin DNR to inform casing depth for replacement wells.
A total of 19 undergraduate students were trained. Students learned sampling techniques, as well as the ethics associated with proper sampling. They collected data, communicated with property owners, prepared samples for analysis, and analyzed the data. Almost all involved students presented their research at a variety of venues, including: Research in the Rotunda, UWEC StudentResearch Day, Geological Society of America, and Wisconsin American Water Resources Association Meetings.
Read more: Summer Research Project Helps Homeowners Access Drinking Water Information
Mitigating PFAS Contamination of Groundwater: Biochar Sequestration of PFAS in Biosolid Leachate at the Field Scale
Original Project Description: Sewage sludge or biosolids generated in Wisconsin are largely applied to agricultural lands. Through this practice, biosolids may be the most diffuse source PFAS contamination of groundwater resources. This project aims to evaluate onsite the PFAS immobilization performance of activated biochar incorporated in soils receiving biosolids, and to develop methods for PFAS analysis of soil and groundwater leachate. Four undergraduate students involved in the project will contribute to experimental setup, soil and water sampling; laboratory and data analysis; and results publication. The project will provide students and faculty with research experience critical to the development of an emerging contaminant workforce.
Outcomes: This grant has provided hands-on experiences to 12 undergraduate and graduate students. The team is studying the effect of biochar soil amendment on legacy PFAS leaching in an agricultural environment, at field scale. Lab experiments conducted by a UWGB graduate students demonstrated that biochar could be an effective PFAS adsorbent in the soil environment. During the first year of the project (2024-2025), researchers determined the average background concentration in PFAS in root zone water samples, identified a farmer to partner with and applied biochar to the fields. Students set up field experimental plots, installed and maintain equipment and collect soil and water sample. They also process and test water samples for PFAS content, design and implement soil columns experiments, and analyze data. Results were presented at the 2025 research in the Rotunda event. One of the undergraduates published her first paper, which can be viewed in Soil Research, June 2025. Results were also published by the American Chemical Society in January 2024.
Samples are still being collected and tested, and the PFAS concentration data will be used to detect changes between pre- and post-application.
Read more:
- Researchers Seek to Develop New Tools to Remove PFAS from Agricultural Soil and Nearby Groundwater
- Freshwater@UW Summer Program Leads to a Publication and Career Opportunities
Pilot Project: Development of an In Vivo Method to Assess the Innate Immune Response in Fathead minnow Larvae
Original Project Description: Two undergraduate students will work with faculty from UW-La Crosse and UW-Madison to develop a new bioassay to study the immune response of wild fish. As part of their training, they will job shadow at the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene to gain a deeper understanding of how bioassays are used in the field of environmental toxicology. They will meet with experts from the Wisconsin Department of Health to see how data from these bioassays can be used to inform water quality standards. Finally, they will network at science conferences to learn about job opportunities in the field of environmental toxicology.
Outcomes: Students and faculty developed an assay to examine the immunotoxicity of environmental contaminants and are using it in the lab. Their technical report, “Adaptation of the in vivo respiratory burst assay for fathead minnow larvae (Pimephales promelas),” has been submitted and accepted to the Journal of Immunological Methods. They are working on a second manuscript using these methods to test for immunotoxicity of two neonicotinoid pesticides in zebrafish and fathead minnow. Students also met with scientists at UW Madison Limnological center and Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene to learn about career paths related to water and toxicology.
Findings from this grant were used to secure a $259,990 grant from WI Sea Grant/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association.
Read more: UW-La Crosse Student Advances PFAS Research, Educates Local Community