UW System Water Policy Network
In Winter 2021, the Center for Water Policy first convened the UW System Water Policy Network to build relationships across the 13 universities in the UW System and further the goals of the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. We share ideas, leverage a variety of research methods, collaborate on research proposals, and develop water policy curricula for use across the System. The Network has since become a “hub” for those interested in water policy to more easily identify collaborators for grants, guest lectures, public speaking, media interviews, etc. The Network is also a resource for government agencies, the private sector, and other stakeholders to connect with water policy experts from across the entire University of Wisconsin System.
The Network is supported in part by the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin and is leveraged by other resources from the Center for Water Policy. Annually, the Center for Water Policy selects and funds a Water Policy Scholar from among the Network members to work on policy issues related to one of the Grand Challenges.
Contact
Connect
The Network is open to faculty, researchers and students across the 13 universities in the University of Wisconsin System. We believe that interdisciplinary connections across the UW System will lead to stronger water policy that protects clean water people use for swimming, boating, fishing, growing food, and manufacturing.
If you’re interested in joining the UW System Water Policy Network, please complete this form.
Leadership
The UW System Water Policy Network is led by a core team: Melissa Scanlan, Director of the Center for Water Policy and Professor in the School of Freshwater Sciences, UW-Milwaukee; Rajpreet Grewal, Water Policy Specialist with the Center for Water Policy and Network Coordinator; Laura Suppes, Associate Professor in Public Health and Environmental Studies, UW-Eau Claire; Ken Genskow Professor in Planning & Landscape Architecture, UW-Madison; and Stephanie Spehar, Director of the Sustainability Institute for Regional Transformations, UW-Oshkosh.
Past Events
The Network hosts presentations and discussions for its members, stakeholders, and the general public throughout the academic year. In February 2023, we co-hosted a statewide conference to evaluate a decade of research and experience implementing Wisconsin’s phosphorus rules and their impact on water quality. More information including a post-conference report that contains an academic research agenda for the next decade and policy recommendations to reduce phosphorus pollution and improve water quality, and videos of the full conference are available here.
Water Policy Experts
Rebecca Abler
Professor
Department of Natural & Applied Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Stream Water Quality, Aquatic Microbiology/Mycology, Undergraduate Research, Stream Restoration
Sumudu Atapattu
Senior Lecturer
UW Law School
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: International Environmental Law, Environmental Rights, Climate Change and Human Rights, Sustainable Development and Water Rights
Paul Block
Associate Professor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Hydrologic Forecasting and Integration into Decision Models, Climate Variability and Change, Water Quality and Quantity Extremes, Risk and Uncertainty, Sustainable Approaches
Eric Booth
Research Scientist
Departments of Plant & Agroecosystem Sciences, and Civil & Environmental Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Hydroecology, Impacts of Climate and Land-Use Change, Urban Stormwater Management, Wetland/Stream Restoration, Water Quality, Groundwater Hydrology, Fluvial Geomorphology, Environmental History, Agroecology, Remote Sensing, and Numerical Modeling
Tracy Boyer
Professor and Economist
School of Freshwater Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Environmental economics
Grace Bulltail
Assistant Professor
Nelson Institute of Environmental Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Water Resource Management, Indigenous Water Rights and Resource Sovereignty, Environmental Justice
Eric Compas
Professor
Department of Geography, Geology, and Environmental Science
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Research Topics: Water access/equity; Climate chance impacts and adaptation, e.g. extreme precipitation, flooding; citizen science, water quality monitoring
Timothy Ehlinger
Associate Professor
Institute for Systems Change and Peacebuilding
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Social-Ecologicial Systems Theory, Adaptive Governance and Stewardshop, Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment, Conflict Transformation, Aquatic Restoration Ecology
Zach Feiner
Research Scientist
Center for Limnology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Fisheries management and ecology, Climate change impacts, Recreational fisheries
Kevin Fermanich
Professor
Department of Natural & Applied Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Soil Processes and Ground Water Quality, Nonpoint Source Pollution, Watershed Monitoring and Management, Fate of Contaminants
Jeremy Foltz
Professor
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Environmental Policy, Technology Adoption, Agricultural Policy, Land and Nutrient Use
Ken Genskow
Professor
Department of Planning & Landscape Architecture
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Watershed Management, Rural Water Quality, Green Infrastructure, Groundwater, Collaborative Governance, Hazard Mitigation Planning, Flooding
Laura Good
Scientist
Department of Soil Science
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Agricultural Land and Manure Management, Phosphorus Dynamics
Caroline Gottschalk Druschke
Associate Professor
Department of English
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Freshwater Restoration, Flooding, Discourse, Public Engagement, Freshwater Management
Elisabeth Harrahy
Associate Professor
Department of Biology
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Research Topics: Occurrence and effects of pesticides, blue-green algae and blue-green algal toxins, pharmaceuticals and personal care products in water
Jen Hauxwell
Associate Director
University of Wisconsin Sea Grant, Water Resources Institute
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Great Lakes Ecosystems, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, Coastal Communities and Economies, Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development, Groundwater Quality, Quantity and Management, and Inland Surface Waters
Richard Hein
Professor
Department of Natural & Applied Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Land Use and Restoration Rffects on Surface Water Quality, Undergraduate Research
Ryan Holifield
Professor
Department of Geography
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Environmental Governance, Environmental Justice
Michael Holly
Associate Professor
Resch School of Engineering
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Agricultural runoff, PFAS, Filter Media, Agricultural Waste Management, Stormwater Management, Nonpoint Source Pollution, Farm System Modeling, Environmental Fate and Treatment of Anthropogenic Chemicals
Marissa Jablonski
Executive Director
Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Randy Jackson
Professor
Department of Agronomy
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Structure and function of Grassland Ecosystems, Nutrient Exchange, Carbon and Nutrient Cycling, Plant Community Responses to Disturbance, Agroecology, Farms as Ecosystem Units, Cellulosic Biofuel Cropping Systems, Grazing Effects on Pasture and Prairie
Julie Kinzelman
Visiting Lecturer
Sustainability Management Program
University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Research Topics: Coastal resiliency, Coastal Management, Water Resource Management, Climate Change, Coastal Restoration, Ecosystem Services
Greg Kleinheinz
Chair and Director
Department of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Environmental Research and Innovation Center
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Research Topics: Contaminants, Recreational water safety, Drinking water, Emerging contaminants
J. Val Klump
Professor Emeritus
School of Freshwater Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Biogeochemical Cycling in Aquatic Environments, Boundary Layer Processes, Research Impacts Radiochemistry, Observing Systems and Underwater Robotics
Itziar Lazkano
Associate Professor
Department of Economics
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Environmental, Resource, and Energy Economics
Tina Lee
Professor of Anthropology
Department of Social Science
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Research Topics: Nutrient pollution, Watersheds, Sustainable agriculture, Community Capacity for restoration and land-use changes
Ashley Lemke
Associate Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Great Lakes, Cultural Heritage, Archaeology, Anthropology, Human-Environment Interactions
John Luczaj
Professor
Department of Natural & Applied Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Groundwater Quantity and Quality, Northeast Groundwater Management Area, Water-Rock Interactions
Brad Mapes-Martins
Associate Professor
Department of Political Science
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Research Topics: Rural Water Quality, Survey Methods, Effects of Partisan Polarization on Environmental Policy
Todd Miller
Associate Professor
Zilber College of Public Health
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Harmful algal blooms, Emerging contaminants, Environmental monitoring electronics
Eric Olson
Director of Extension Lakes
College of Natural Resources
University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Thomas Pearson
Professor
Department of Social Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Research Topics: Environmental Justice, Grassroots Organizing, PFAS Contamination
Laurel Phoenix
Associate Professor
Department of Geography
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Watershed Management, Drinking Water and Wastewater Management, Environmental Planning, Flooding and Climate Change, Energy Economics, Riparian Water Law Reformation
Brian Pompeii
Assistant Teaching Professor
Department of Geography and Environmental Science
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Research Topics: Environmental Justice, Social Vulnerability, PFAS
James Price
Assistant Professor
School of Freshwater Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Nonmarket Valuation, Benefit-Cost Analysis, Source Water Protection, Municipal Water Supply and Demand, Urban Flooding
Adena Rissman
Professor
Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Natural Resources Policy, Policy and Politics of Environmental Information
Morgan Robertson
Professor
Department of Geography
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Environmental Credit Markets, Clean Water Act Wetland Policy
Paul Roebber
Professor
School of Freshwater Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Climate Change, Weather Systems, Weather Forecasting, Data Analytics, Machine Learning
Daniel Rust
Associate Professor of Transportation and Logistics Management
School of Business and Economics
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Research Topics: Educating the next generation of Wisconsin’s transportation and logistics managers; Marine transportation and climate change
Daniel Sambu
Associate Professor
Department of Geography and Environmental Science
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
Research Topics: Water policy and development, water sustainability, community water management, climate change and water access
Melissa Scanlan
Lynde B. Uihlein Endowed Chair and Professor in Water Policy, Director of the Center for Water Policy
School of Freshwater Sciences, UW Law School
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Public Trust Doctrine, Public Access to Water Resources, Climate Change, Clean Water Act and Agricultural Water Pollution, Stormwater, Pollution Trading; Social Enterprise Legal Design, Cooperative Business
Amanda Seligman
Professor
Department of History and Urban Studies
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Race, Public Policy, Community Organization
Stephanie Spehar
Professor
Department of Anthropology
University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Research Topics: Harmful Algal Blooms, Social Science and Sustainability, Human Dimensions of Environmental Issues, Social-ecological Systems
Jef Steele
Water Quality Specialist
Division of Facilities Management and Planning
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Drinking Water Contaminants, Blue-Green Algae, and Stormwater Mitigation
Andrew Stevens
Assistant Professor
Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Agricultural Land Use, Irrigation, Nutrient Runoff, Erosion
John Stoll
Professor of Economics and Austin E. Cofrin Professor of Management
Center for Public Affairs
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Laura Suppes
Associate Professor
Department of Public Health and Environmental Studies
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Research Topics: Chemical and Biological Hazards in Water, Public Health, Quantitative Microbial Risk Assessments
Steph Tai
Professor; Associate Dean
Wisconsin Law School; Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Interactions between environmental and health sciences and administrative law; Consideration of scientific expertise and environmental justice concerns by administrative and judicial systems, Scientific dialogues in food systems regulation, Private governance in scientific research
Matt TenEyck
Director
Lake Superior Research Institute
University of Wisconsin-Superior
Research Topics: Movement and prevention of aquatic invasive species in ships’ ballast water
Emily Tyner
Director of Freshwater Strategy
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Public and Stakeholder Engagement, Environmental Justice, Shoreline Planning, Development, and Access, NERR
Abhishek Verma
Assistant Professor
Department of Engineering and Technology
University of Wisconsin-Stout
Research Topics: Freshwater science and policy in engineering curriculum, Applications of drone/UAV and underwater robot in natural sciences
Sarah Vitale
Assistant Professor
Department of Geology & Environmental Science
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Research Topics: Groundwater Quality and Quantity in Western Wisconsin, Fracture Flow
Jim Wasley
Professor
Department of Architecture & Urban Planning
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
Research Topics: Green/Blue Infrastructure, Architecture/, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design of Ecological Waterscapes. Water-Centric Cities
Ken Webb
Research Associate
Department of Natural & Applied Sciences
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
Research Topics: Aquaculture, Larval Fish Physiology, Sustainable Agriculture/Water Use
Chelsea Zegler
Ag Water Quality Educator
Division of Extension
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Topics: Dissolved Phosphorus Loss, Cover Crops, Nitrogen Leaching, Agricultural Practices