Water Words

Summer 2026

Greetings Water Lovers!

This weekend marks the first official day of summer. Across the state, Freshwater Collaborative–funded summer programs are already well underway. It’s been exciting to travel across the state to meet students and see them in action.

Four collaborative field and lab courses have already run this summer. They’ve included faculty and students at UW-Eau Claire, UW-Green Bay, UW-Milwaukee, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point and UW-Stout. Students have learned about agricultural practices in the Driftless Area, Great Lakes research on Lake Michigan, and groundwater and surface water in Western Wisconsin.

The Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program kicked off the end of May. Twenty-nine students from Wisconsin and beyond are now conducting research at one of nine UW schools. Sixteen students from 12 high schools are conducting mentored research through UW-Green Bay’s High School Summer Scholars Program. They have their first cohort field trip next week.

And we have so much more to come, including three high school summer camps, a new river studies course, a field course in northern Wisconsin, and multiple undergraduate research programs!

This spring we also celebrated the passage of Acts 200 and 201, which will fund programs and research to help Wisconsin address PFAS. We look forward to working with the WDNR, UW-Madison, and the Universities of Wisconsin on these efforts.

Lastly, our biennial Outcomes Report is available online, and we are happy to mail printed copies as requested.

Enjoy Wisconsin’s beautiful summer!

Best,
Marissa Jablonski

With its bluffs, caves and cold-water trout streams, Wisconsin’s Driftless Area is uniquely beautiful. The topography also creates unique farming challenges such as erosion and agricultural runoff.

This spring two Ag-Water Nexus courses taught students how farmers in the region are working to carefully balance farming realities with sustainable practices to protect water quality.

Students share their Ag-Water Nexus experiences.

Located in the northwest corner of the state, Superior is a hidden gem of natural beauty — and jobs. Through its Finding Work events, UW-Superior is educating its students and community members about water-focused jobs in the region. 

Learn more about maritime career programs.

Austin Draper's career goal when he enrolled at UW-Whitewater was a job that aligned with his passion for fish and oceans and provided financial security and stability. A Freshwater Collaborative–funded grant in 2020 set him on the path to become a physical scientist with the U.S. Navy.

Read about Austin's freshwater journey.

Sarah Baughman never thought of herself as a science person. She worked as a baker in a coffee shop for 10 years. After a trip to the International Crane Foundation in 2021, she enrolled at UW-Green Bay. She's now the bird and peatland research coordinator at UW-Green Bay, leading educational outreach and mentoring high school students. 

Read about Sarah's journey.

Seaworthy Collective is accepting applications for its new Continuum Ocean Enterprise Studio Prep Program. The two-month program supports U.S.-based college students who are curious about getting involved in ocean innovation. Deadline to apply is June 28. Learn more about the program. 

The Great Lakes Horizon Initiative (GLHI) is designed to help the region shift from reacting to crises to predicting them and moving toward sustainable solutions. The inaugural horizon scanning effort is underway, and feedback is needed.

Please take their brief survey to help identify emerging water-related opportunities and risks in the Great Lakes watershed and develop coordinated strategies.

Join the statewide search for aquatic invasive species on Aug. 8, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at 20+ locations in Wisconsin. Snapshot Day connects volunteers, water lovers, and local conservation groups in a search for aquatic invasive species. By participating, you can help protect Wisconsin’s rivers, lakes, and wetlands from invasive plants and animals that may negatively impact habitat, wildlife, recreation and health. This event is coordinated in partnership with UW-Madison Division of Extension, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, and local partners.

Learn more and register at a site near you.

Were you forwarded this email? Would you like to receive news from the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin?

You’re getting our quarterly newsletter, but are you following us on social media?