Feb., 4, 2026

Photo of students on a wooden dock on a lake.

Freshwater Opportunities Bulletin

The Freshwater Opportunities Bulletin is published the first Wednesday of each month during the academic year. It provides information about upcoming conferences, employment opportunities, collaborative courses and experiences, and other water-related opportunities for students, faculty, and staff at the Universities of Wisconsin.

Please share information with students and colleagues on your campus.

Graphic of a drop of water made up of many circles

Great Lakes Freshwater Symposium: The Great Plastic Cleanup

Join us for our next webinar: Marine Debris in the Great Lakes: The Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup Takes Action Through Collaboration on March 7 at noon.

An estimated 22 million pounds of plastic are placed in the Great Lakes each year. The Council for the Great Lakes Region's Great Lakes Plastic Cleanup brings together collaborators from across the binational Great Lakes region to take action on the plastic pollution problem. Partners will share their approaches to this effort and show what has, and has not, worked to help alleviate plastic debris in the Great Lakes.

Register

Undergraduate Research and Internship Opportunities

Are you recruiting undergraduates for research positions or internships? We can help spread the word and post your positions to our website, in our newsletter and on social media. Email the information to freshwater-collab@uwm.edu.

The following opportunities are open to any student enrolled at a Universities of Wisconsin school.

Deadline Feb. 15: Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program

The Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities Program offers undergraduates hands-on mentored research experiences and professional development at UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, UW-La Crosse, UW-Green Bay, UW-Oshkosh, UW-Platteville, UW-River Falls, UW-Stevens Point or in Manitowoc, WI. Learn about the research projects and apply. Download a campus flyer.

Clean Boats, Clean Waters 2026 Summer Internships

The Clean Boats Clean Waters program is hiring 10 paid summer interns to work in the Vilas County area. These are paid positions and include housing and travel reimbursement. Positions to be filled ASAP. Visit our website for details. Download a campus flyer.

Deadline Feb. 10: Water Quality Specialist Intern with Walworth County

Walworth County’s Land Use and Resource Management Department is hiring a Water Quality Specialist Intern. This paid position is responsible for implementing Walworth County’s Lake Protection and Monitoring Grant Program. Read the full position description and apply.

Deadline Feb. 6: Student Development Internships With WDNR and the State Cartographer's Office

The State of Wisconsin Student Development Internship Program is accepting applications for summer 2026. Visit the Division of Personnel Management website to see available internships by study area and county. Visit Careers to complete part one and be invited to apply to internships.

Summer Internship with Watts Water

Watts Water is hiring a Mechanical Engineering Intern for summer 2026 in Menomonee Falls, Wisc. Students are also encouraged to apply for internships throughout the country. Learn more about interning at Watts.

Internships with The Nature Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy has six paid summer internships in Wisconsin. Students and recent graduates develop hands-on experience and gain exposure to conservation career pathways. Multiple paid internship positions are hosted from June through August to support key projects and make a meaningful impact on conservation efforts in Wisconsin. Learn about the internships positions.

Freshwater Career Fair, March 6

Join the Freshwater Sciences Networking and Career Fair on March 6, 10:30 a.m.-2 p.m. at the UW-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences. Don’t miss this opportunity to meet and hear from water professionals working in government, wastewater and water treatment, environmental consulting, nonprofit/NGO management, water technology and more. All students and alumni of UWM and the Universities of Wisconsin are invited! Learn more.

Summer Experiences for High Schoolers

Registration is open for high school summer experiences! Details on our website.

June 21-25, Freshwater Science Field Experience in Western Wisconsin. Explore western Wisconsin’s lakes, streams, and groundwater with faculty and students from UW-Stout, UW-Eau Claire, and UW-River Falls. Open to 24 high school juniors and seniors. All participants are eligible for full-tuition scholarships thanks to funding from the Freshwater Collaborative.
July 13-15, Freshwater High School Experience at UW Oshkosh. Conduct hands-on research, pilot water drones, explore waterways on a pontoon boat, learn about freshwater college majors and careers, and enjoy fun evening activities in the residence halls. Open to 20 students. Aside from a $25 participation fee, all costs are covered by the Freshwater Collaborative.

Freshwater Courses

Summer Semester

Visit our website for details on courses and enrollment.

May 18-June 5, Field Hydrology. Three-credit field course in western Wisconsin offered through UW-Eau Claire in collaboration with UW-River Falls and UW-Stout. Open to students enrolled at any university. Food, lodging and transportation provided. Applications due March 13. Download a flyer.
June 8-July 3, Human Interactions with Lake Michigan Coastal Ecosystems. This hands-on course explores the human impacts on Lake Michigan coastal ecosystems from Green Bay to Kenosha. Taught by UW-Milwaukee and UW-Green Bay. Open to 12 students from any campus. Meals and lodging provided.
June 15-July 27, Elements of Water. This is a general education course for undergraduates and is open to high school students enrolled in the Early College Credit Program. See website for enrollment details for non-UW-Milwaukee students.
June 23-July 3, Field Sampling and Analysis. Three-credit course offered through UW Oshkosh takes place in Door County and Land O'Lakes. Housing provided. Open to students enrolled at any university.
NEW! Aug. 15-19, River Studies Field Course. UW-La Crosse. One-credit river research trip. Open to students enrolled at any university. Limited scholarships available. See course website for information and to apply. Apply by Feb. 15. Download a flyer.

Upcoming Events and Conferences

Feb. 24-26: Wetland Science Conference, Baraboo, WI. Students receive a 50% discount on conference registration fees.
March 9-10: Midwest SETAC 33rd Annual Scientific Meeting, Beloit
March 11: Research in the Rotunda, Madison
April 9-10: Wisconsin Section of American Water Resources Association , Brookfield
April 15-17: Wisconsin Lakes and Rivers Convention, Stevens Point. Students are encouraged to submit proposals for lightning talks and poster presentations. Lightning talk deadline is March 1. Students receive a 50% discount on conference registration fees, and scholarships are available.

Call for Presenters

The North American Congress for Conservation and Restoration (NACC) takes place July 12-16 in Milwaukee. Educators (K-12, informal, higher ed, env ed/community science ed) are invited to submit proposals that share engaging and effective conservation educational and restoration modules at the Conservation and Restoration Education Forum on July 13. Invited presenters will be offered a 50% registration waiver.

Submit a proposal by Feb. 15

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Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin
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Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53204

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