Green Bay, Wis.—The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay will receive $658,845 for projects that will increase high-impact research and training opportunities for high school and undergraduate students and will address Wisconsin’s biggest water challenges, including phosphorus transport and release, agricultural water management and creating information and resources about peatland plant communities.
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 recruitment, hands-on curriculum, undergraduate research opportunities, career development and field training experiences for students interested in water-related careers.
Funding includes support for the following student-involved projects at UW-Green Bay:
· $391,266 – UW-Green Bay pre-college student experience in freshwater, 2025-2031, offers middle and high school students — and their teachers — immersive learning in water science to spark interest in freshwater careers.
· $66,984 – Quantifying the impact of spatial and temporal variation in hyporheic zone fluxes on phosphorus transport and release in Wisconsin streams and rivers, continued. (Joint UW-Green Bay and UW-Madison)
· $31,906 – Leveraging the strength of the Wisconsin Agriculture-Water Nexus Network for transformative student experiences. (Joint UW-Green Bay, UW-Platteville, UW-Stevens Point and UW-River Falls)
· $34,205 – Next steps to creating connected Freshwater Collaborative programming at UW-River Falls. (Joint UW-Green Bay and UW-River Falls.)
· $134,484 – Students and water in Wisconsin’s peatland plant communities. (Joint UW-Green Bay and UW-Madison)
“This new funding will support student-engaged research and educational programs to better understand two pressing water quality challenges in northeastern Wisconsin: nutrient runoff and agricultural water and management,” said Emily Tyner, director of Freshwater Strategy for UW-Green Bay. “With these funds, faculty, staff and students will improve our understanding of how land-based nutrients and chemicals impact waterways, provide tools for local educators to teach about water quality threats and prepare students for statewide water-focused careers.”
High school and university students will be involved in hands-on research and project learning that includes studying riverbed sediments as an important source of phosphorus in Wisconsin waterways, freshwater-focused field tours, wild rice seeding and educators workshops for K-12 students and teachers around the Bay of Green Bay. Additionally, research will focus on the water chemistry and plant diversity of Wisconsin’s peatlands, and a collaboration with five UW campuses to implement hands-on courses for undergraduate students to explore interactions between agricultural practices and waterways at sites across Wisconsin.
“The Freshwater Collaborative has helped campuses develop innovative statewide courses, programs and research collaborations over the past five years,” said Marissa Jablonski, executive director for the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. “With this latest round of funding, we are committing to ongoing investment in those programs that will best recruit and train the next generation of water professionals to address the needs of Wisconsin.”
Specific grant descriptions for the latest funded projects are available here.
About the Freshwater Collaborative
The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is a partnership of Wisconsin’s 13 public universities, connecting with industry partners, local communities, policymakers and advocacy groups. The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is training the next generation of water professionals to solve global water problems through academic programs, collaborative research and career development across the Universities of Wisconsin. Learn more at freshwater.wisconsin.edu.
About UW-Green Bay
The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay is a school of resilient problem solvers who dare to reach higher with the power of education that ignites growth and answers the biggest challenges. Serving 11,500 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students as well as 100,000 continuing education learners annually, UW-Green Bay offers 200 academic degrees, programs, and certificates. With campuses in Green Bay, Manitowoc and Sheboygan, and a theatre in Marinette, the University’s access mission welcomes all students who want to learn, from every corner of the world. Championing bold thinking since opening its doors in 1965, it is a university on the rise – Wisconsin’s fastest growing UW. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
