March 5, 2025

The Freshwater Opportunities Bulletin is published the first Wednesday of each month except July. It provides information about water-related conferences, collaborative courses and field experiences, undergraduate research positions and internships, and other opportunities for students, faculty, and staff at the Universities of Wisconsin.

Please share information with students and colleagues on your campus. 

The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin has released RFP4 for 2025-2027 biennial funding. A total of $2 million per year ($4 million per biennium) is available. This RFP will consider two types of funding: Innovative Grant Funding and Programmatic Funding. Consult with your campus Steering Committee member and Office of Sponsored Research prior to submitting. Submissions due April 1. 

View RFP details 

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

Students from any of the Universities of Wisconsin are invited to a Career & Networking Fair at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences. This is a great opportunity for students to meet potential employers from southeast Wisconsin. Register via Handshake or contact Aaron Thiel at thiela@uwm.edu.

Learn more

The Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District’s internship program offers university and technical college students valuable experience in their field of interest while making an impact on the organization and our local communities. Internships are available in: Pollution Prevention, Well Water Sampler, Operations & Maintenance, and Engineering. Salary is $19 per hour. Apply by March 30.

Learn more about positions and apply

The UW Oshkosh ERIC lab is hiring students from any UW school for the Clean Boats Clean Waters Program in Vilas County. Interns inspect watercraft for aquatic invasive species and provide information to boaters about prevention. Positions include salary, travel reimbursement and housing. Positions will be filled ASAP. This position is listed on Handshake. Four openings still available!

Learn more

UW-Stevens Point will host a workshop for high school educators on April 3. Educators will receive interactive ready-to-use lesson plans for teaching students about PFAS. Join in person or virtually. This is a free event, funded through a Freshwater Collaborative research grant. Registration is required by March 14 to ensure participants receive the supplies for interactive activities.

Download Flyer

UW Oshkosh is hosting a three-day camp for high school students. 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. Aside from a $25 participation fee, all costs will be covered by the Freshwater Collaborative. Limited to 20 participants.

Download Flyer

UW-Green Bay is accepting applications for its High School Freshwater Summer Scholars program, supported by the Freshwater Collaborative. These are paid positions that provide students with opportunities to complete hands-on freshwater research with a UW-Green Bay mentor. Apply by April 14. 

More Information and Apply

Freshwater Collaborative courses offer students immersive field and lab work to prepare for the workforce. Additional details and downloadable flyers and presentation slides available on our website. 

May 19-June 6
Taught by UW-Eau Claire, UW-Stout, UW-River Falls, and UW-Oshkosh. 3 credits.

Study hydrologic science in western Wisconsin, such as groundwater and aquifer characterization, wetland delineation, evaluation of aquatic ecosystems, and water quality assessment. Open to students from ANY university. Online application required. Priority application deadline is March 28. Apply here.

Download a flyer.

June 9-June 20
UW-Milwaukee/UW-River Falls. 3 credits.

Dive into a hands-on learning adventure focused on the limnology, Web-based climate and weather models, and biogeochemistry of Lake Michigan! This unique course uses a problem-solving approach to tackle real-world environmental challenges affecting Lake Michigan. Open to 10 students from ANY university. Get details.

Download a flyer.

June 16-July 3
UW-Milwaukee/UW-Whitewater. 2 credits.

Learn about laboratory and field methods used to assess the environmental and health effects of water pollution. Experiences will include field sample collection, water quality and chemical analyses, acute and chronic toxicity testing, introduction to pollutant-induced gene expression, and time on UW-Milwaukee’s research vessel. Open to 10 students from ANY university. Download a flyer.

July 7-Aug. 16
UW-Milwaukee. 3 credits.

This general education course addresses the importance of water in biological, ecological, physical, climate and economic systems, and the consequences of distributing the natural water cycle. Open to high school students enrolled in the Early College Credit Program. This course will also run in fall (deadline for ECCP registration for fall is March 1). Info at freshwater.wisconsin.edu/for-students/fcw-courses-experiences/ 

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