Author: Heidi Jeter
Clean Boats Clean Waters Paid 2023 Summer Internships
Located in beautiful northern Wisconsin, the Clean Boats Clean Waters (CBCW) program focuses on Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) in the Vilas County area and provides information to the boating public regarding AIS prevention. 
Interns will gain valuable hands-on experience with the following responsibilities:
- Collecting and recording data in accordance with the Wisconsin Clean Boats Clean Waters program interview protocol
- Inspect boats, trailers, tow vehicles and related equipment for the presence of aquatic plants, animals, or water
- Compliance with Wisconsin laws, working alongside lake organizations and the Vilas County wardens, prohibiting launching or transporting of boats and related equipment with aquatic plants, animals, or water on board
- Conducting field research regarding water quality and terrestrial/AIS mapping for each landing
- Uploading collected data to a State database and UW Oshkosh database weekly
Salary and Benefits
Interns receive a gross income of $5,000 for the summer with the opportunity to earn more, There is plenty of free time to have fun in the Northwoods or get a second job to earn more for school. There is a $1,250 travel is reimbursement for each intern. Also, housing (usually a local house) is provided and paid for by the University. You may also potentially sign-up for internship credits for your experience.
Apply by sending a resume and cover letter to klemmer@uwosh.edu, or contact the UW Oshkosh Environmental Research and Innovation Center (ERIC) from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. weekdays for more information. The ERIC is at 783 Pearl Avenue, just behind Kolf by the river. Apply early, as positions will be filled on rolling basis! Students from any UW school are welcome to apply.
We expect all positions to be filled by March 10, 2023!
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UW-Green Bay Workshop Provides Freshwater Education to K-12 Educators
UW-Green Bay, Atlas Science Center, NEW Water and the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin partnered to offer K-12 educators a half-day workshop in August that promoted freshwater education. The goals for the summer teacher workshop were to 1) inform teachers about the NERR (National Estuarine Research Reserve) while experiencing a boat ride on Green Bay, 2) allow teachers to examine transformational restoration work at Ken Euers park, and 3) connect teachers to water-related community resources in the region.
Twenty educators, including two from the Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, took a boat tour of Lower Green Bay with updates on designating the Green Bay’s NERR; toured the Ken Euers Nature Area, focusing on wetland restoration and park improvements; and received a sample of different STEM-related kits and activities from Atlas Science Center that are available to K-12 educators for their classrooms.
Brook Wendorf, the founder of Forest to Brook Enrichment Education Services, a local business in Abrams, Wis., discussed the enrichment opportunities provided by her business for creating accessible environmental education programming for students and adults with disabilities.
“The teacher workshop was a wonderful collaboration of UW-Green Bay campuses, community partners, and teachers from 10 school districts,” says Lynn Terrien, K-12 outreach assistant coordinator at UW-Green Bay. “I heard engaging conversations between teachers, saw new ideas being exchanged and witnessed lots of smiles on everyone coming off the boats. Couple that with perfect weather, and I think we can say we had a highly successful day!”
The workshop was part of UW-Green Bay’s “Educators and Students Rise to Freshwater Challenges” grant from the Freshwater Collaborative. The multifaceted project involves building a network of freshwater educators throughout northeast Wisconsin’s coastal communities, developing freshwater field experiences for high school students and teachers to expose students to water careers and connect them to UW System researchers, and to engage community partners in water-focused STEM events.
Here’s what some of the teachers had to say about participation in the workshop:
“I loved the hands on with the researchers. 1) Boat tour was excellent and a great way to interact with current research students. 2) Loved the shore hike and the information presented on invasive species. 3) Really appreciated the labs that could be used to various science classes and grades.”
“I liked the opportunity to see real science being done in the bay. As teachers we sometimes lose a connection to current research and projects.”
“This was an excellent amount of information, and I absolutely loved this workshop. Thank you to everyone!”
“Favorite thing: The combined perspective of the lower bay NERR and the reclaimed wetlands on the west side of the bay. Both have potential and easy access for student projects.”
Camp Offers River Adventures, Water Education and Leadership Opportunities
Nadalee Thao, a high school junior from Milwaukee, had heard that the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse was a good science school, and she was interested in checking it out. She had the opportunity to do so as a participant in My River Adventures Camp (MRA), a pre-college summer camp at UW-La Crosse supported in part by the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.
“The counselors were awesome, and all the people there made it really fun,” Thao says. “I learned how to be a leader. I also learned a lot about biology and environmental science.”
The weeklong camp is part of the university’s efforts to recruit students for careers in STEM, specifically water-related sectors, such as biology, ecology and aquatic science, where skilled professionals are in high demand.
A primary goal of the camp is to address the lack of diversity in the water sector and to expose students from underrepresented communities to careers in STEM. Funding from the Freshwater Collaborative made it possible to provide the camp, as well as food and lodging, free of charge to 30 students. These funds greatly increased the camp’s accessibility, regardless of a student’s socioeconomic status.
“The importance of this camp is to provide a campus-based experience for students who may not have normally had an opportunity like this,” says Laura Lauderdale, Pre-College coordinator at UW-La Crosse and the camp’s director. “Participating in faculty sessions in college academic buildings makes the possibility of attending college tangible and attainable for these students.”
Faculty members Adam Driscoll, Tisha King-Heiden, and Brian Pompeii from the university’s River Studies Center led instructional sessions and visits to regional rivers and marshes in the surrounding area for fieldwork and observation. Participants were also assigned an undergraduate mentor who worked one-one-one with them as they engaged in various hands-on activities, including using GPS to navigate marshlands, flood plains and natural habitats; analyzing and identifying fish and plant species as part of DNR sampling activities; learning about water-quality sampling; and viewing specimens under a microscope.
“I learned a lot about bodies of water, fish and wildlife in the marsh and rivers,” says sixth grader Matheo Huerta Perez.
The experience also offered leadership and hands-on learning opportunities to the nine camp mentors. UW-La Crosse undergraduate Maddie Renaud is majoring in middle childhood/early adolescent education and minoring in at-risk youth and childcare, and she’s been involved in the university’s Pre-College programs since 2018. Working as the camp assistant and a mentor will be beneficial when she graduates in December.
“I have learned many valuable skills and lessons throughout my experience with the MRA camp — both about the value of our local water sources as well as the confidence to be able to facilitate, engage and build meaningful connections with Wisconsin youth,” Renaud says. “I am extremely grateful to have been a part of this collaboration and hope to see this program continue in the future, as the city, staff and community partners of UW La Crosse enlightened these kids’ lives in a multitude of ways.”
In addition to the science component, camp participants and their undergraduate mentors learned more about careers within the STEM fields and freshwater sciences. And students were encouraged to try new things.
“I stepped out of my comfort zone and did activities I usually wouldn’t do,” says Blossom Xiong, a ninth grader from Altoona, Wis. “I also learned about the different creatures in the marsh and how chemicals in the water can affect them.”
Seeing students push themselves is one of the things Lauderdale enjoys most about running the camp.
“The students we worked with were truly phenomenal,” she says. “They embodied our ‘challenge by choice’ mentality and stepped outside of their comfort zone all week.”
Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin awards more than $500,000 for projects involving 10 UW institutions
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 15, 2022—In its latest round of funding, the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin has awarded $544,541 for eight projects that will increase research and student training collaborations among 10 UW System universities.
Students will be involved in projects and programs that include expansion of the Wisconsin Agriculture-Water Nexus Network, summer field experiences in western and central Wisconsin, lab and field training in water quality techniques, examination of the economic impact of recreational and commercial fishing, monitoring of the Red Cedar Basin watershed and expansion of the Innovative Weather program.
“Our latest funded projects will create new collaborations and strengthen existing partnerships among the UW institutions and external partners that will further enhance the student experience and prepare undergraduates for careers in Wisconsin’s workforce,” said Marissa Jablonski, executive director for the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. “We were very pleased that many of the projects will involve students, faculty and staff at multiple universities.”
Freshwater Collaborative funding to date has been awarded to UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater.
Grant descriptions for the latest funded projects are available at https://freshwaterdev.wisconsin.edu/funded-projects-august-2022/
The funding is part of a statewide initiative, backed by the Wisconsin State Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers, to tackle Wisconsin’s grand water challenges and support curriculum development, undergraduate research opportunities, career development and field training experiences for students interested in studying water-related fields at the 13 UW universities.
Startup funding for the Freshwater Collaborative was provided in 2019 by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the UW System. In July 2021, the state legislature and Gov. Evers approved $5 million in the biennial budget to expand the collaborative’s ability to train water professionals and establish Wisconsin as a leader in water-related science and economic growth. The Freshwater Collaborative awarded $3.42 million in March 2022.
Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin Awards More than $500,000 for Projects Involving 10 UW Institutions
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 15, 2022—In its latest round of funding, the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin has awarded $544,541 for eight projects that will increase research and student training collaborations among 10 UW System universities.
Students will be involved in projects and programs that include expansion of the Wisconsin Agriculture-Water Nexus Network, summer field experiences in western and central Wisconsin, lab and field training in water quality techniques, examination of the economic impact of recreational and commercial fishing, monitoring of the Red Cedar Basin watershed and expansion of the Innovative Weather program.
“Our latest funded projects will create new collaborations and strengthen existing partnerships among the UW institutions and external partners that will further enhance the student experience and prepare undergraduates for careers in Wisconsin’s workforce,” said Marissa Jablonski, executive director for the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. “We were very pleased that many of the projects will involve students, faculty and staff at multiple universities.”
Freshwater Collaborative funding to date has been awarded to UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-La Crosse, UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW Oshkosh, UW-Parkside, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout, UW-Superior and UW-Whitewater.
Grant descriptions for the latest funded projects are available at https://freshwaterdev.wisconsin.edu/funded-projects-august-2022/
The funding is part of a statewide initiative, backed by the Wisconsin State Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers, to tackle Wisconsin’s grand water challenges and support curriculum development, undergraduate research opportunities, career development and field training experiences for students interested in studying water-related fields at the 13 UW universities.
Startup funding for the Freshwater Collaborative was provided in 2019 by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation and the UW System. In July 2021, the state legislature and Gov. Evers approved $5 million in the biennial budget to expand the collaborative’s ability to train water professionals and establish Wisconsin as a leader in water-related science and economic growth. The Freshwater Collaborative awarded $3.42 million in March 2022.
Freshwater Collaborative Funded Projects August 2022
In August 2022, the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin awarded $544,541 in funding for eight projects that will increase research and student training collaborations among the UW System universities.
Climate and Water: Innovative Weather for Future Professionals
Institution(s): UW-Milwaukee
Grant Description:
The Atmospheric Science program at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee has provided a weather decision support experiential learning program called Innovative Weather to UW-Milwaukee students since 2007. This program serves the weather risk mitigation needs of community partners while serving the professional training goals of students. The Freshwater Collaborative support, recognizing the close connection between weather and freshwater, will extend this program’s reach across the state by providing this expertise to interested UW System researchers.
Cross-Campus and Partner Expansion of the Red Cedar Basin Monitoring Project
Institution(s): UW-Eau Claire, UW Oshkosh, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout
Grant Description: The Red Cedar Watershed experiences frequent blue-green algae blooms due to phosphorus pollution. Numerous projects have been implemented to reduce runoff and restore stream channels and buffer areas. This project continues a pilot project to examine the effectiveness of those projects while expanding research efforts to determine the root causes of the toxic algal blooms regularly seen in lakes in the region. Students from UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, UW-Eau Claire and UW Oshkosh will work during the summer to survey streams and collect water samples to guide management decisions regarding the Red Cedar Watershed to serve as a model for other similarly impacted watersheds throughout the region.
Economic Impacts of Wisconsin Fishing Supported by The Freshwater Resources of Lake Michigan and Bay of Green Bay
Institution(s): UW-Green Bay, UW-Whitewater
Grant Description: Student and faculty researchers seek to quantify the total economic value of the freshwater fishery resources of Lake Michigan and Bay of Green Bay to the state of Wisconsin. In addition, they will analyze how different fishery management strategies and climate change scenarios may impact the quality, and therefore economic value, of these resources. Changes in quality and economic value in turn affect the health of regional economies and welfare of residents and visitors. Ultimately, this information helps inform resource managers about the most efficient and effective strategies available to maximize the value of this resource now and in the future.
Evaluation of Downstream Juvenile Lake Sturgeon Passage Through Two Dams on the Menominee River
Institution(s): UW-Green Bay
Grant Description: Lake Sturgeon passage has been embraced as a restoration prescription in the Great Lakes. Adaptive management strategies dictate that quantitative assessment of passage benefits be provided to managers. This project will evaluate the effectiveness of downstream juvenile passage on the Menominee River and through the Park Mill and Menominee Dams. Faculty and student researchers will evaluate the movement of tagged age-0 lake sturgeon to better understand habitat-use, downstream passage, and survival. Our data will influence future fish passage operation at the Menominee facility and others around the Great Lakes and build justification for restoring spawning habitats in upstream areas where passage is discussed.
Freshwater Science Across the Curriculum: Linked Outreach and Advanced Educational Activities
Institution(s): UW-Eau Claire, UW Oshkosh, UW-River Falls, UW-Stout
Grant Description: The project continues to develop the Freshwater Science Field Experience (FSFE) in Western Wisconsin, an outreach and recruitment program targeting junior and senior high school students. It is a field-intensive, hands-on learning experience that introduces participants to a wide range of freshwater science topics with specialists from UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout and UW-River Falls. The course will be offered for two University of Wisconsin credits. The second objective of this project further develops an immersive eight-day Western Wisconsin Advanced Freshwater Field Course for undergraduates with hands-on experiences designed to increase the employability of UW System students across the state. This course is a collaboration between UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, UW-River Falls and UW-Oshkosh.
From Field to Laboratory; Hands-on Techniques for Students in Water Sciences
Institution(s): UW-Madison, UW-River Falls
Grant Description: Laboratory and field training are essential in water-related fields of study; thus, by a collaboration between UW-River Falls and UW-Madison campuses, faculty on this project will develop a two-credit transformative course that focuses on laboratory and field techniques for freshwater-related work. The objective is to increase students’ field and laboratory skills to support professional development and cultivate interest in freshwater sciences. Faculty will focus on practical knowledge of field measurements related to water quality and nutrient analysis and good laboratory practices pre-and post-sampling. They aim to reach out to an array of students from diverse backgrounds across Wisconsin.
Leveraging the strength of the Wisconsin Agriculture-Water Nexus Network (WAW2N) for transformative student experiences
Institution(s): UW-Green Bay, UW-Madison, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point, UW-Stout
Grant Description: The cross-campus Wisconsin Agriculture-Water Nexus Network will create transformational education experiences that provide students with a greater understanding of the connection between agriculture and water and the need for multi-disciplinary solutions that support both food production and maintaining high-quality freshwater resources across Wisconsin. The project will also support the online delivery of a newly designed cross-campus course at the nexus of agriculture and water, which will highlight learnings at the ag-water nexus attained under previous Freshwater Collaborative–funded projects. A multiday field trip course built around variations in southwest Wisconsin agriculture will complement the online course. Bringing together experienced and new faculty/staff as well as community and academic partners to co-develop transformative student experiences will also strengthen the Freshwater Collaborative’s goals. This project grows the number of involved UW institutions from three to six.
Summer Research Experience in Freshwater Ecology for Undergraduates
Institution(s): UW-Stevens Point
Grant Description:
This project supports the participation of five students in a Research Experience for Undergraduates experience coordinated by the U.S. Geological Survey’s Wisconsin Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (WICFRU), which is part of the College of Natural Resources at UW-Stevens Point. The WICFRU provides unique hands-on opportunities for undergraduates to work on applied freshwater research and collaborate with federal scientists, university faculty, graduate students, and researchers and agency personnel from the Wisconsin and Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and various tribal organizations from the Midwest.