The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin has announced its commitment to investing more than $4.2 million in funding to support water education and water research programs. The collaborative hopes the investment will boost Wisconsin’s water workforce for years to come.
The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin is a partnership between Wisconsin’s 13 public universities. The purpose of the collaboration is to connect industry partners, local communities, policymakers, and advocacy groups.
The group's investment will fund 19 new projects involving faculty, staff, and students from all 13 universities, along with partners from industry, government, local communities, tribal nations, nonprofits, and K-12 education. The projects will increase research and training opportunities for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students. Each new project will aim to address Wisconsin’s biggest water challenges.
“The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin shows the power of our universities when we come together to address Wisconsin’s needs,” said Universities of Wisconsin President Jay Rothman.
The collaborative says most of the funding will go towards programs that have been established in the last five years. Some of those programs include summer camps, internships for high schoolers, hands-on courses, and lab experiences that allow students to conduct relevant freshwater research.
A portion of the funding, the group says, will support innovative ideas, including a new course in river studies, PFAS research, development of a tool to assess water quality, and a community-based project addressing peatlands.
PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a class of chemicals that have been in consumer products for decades. Some PFAS do not break down in the environment, can build up in living things, and can adversely impact human health and the environment, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
The funding is a part of a statewide initiative, backed by the Wisconsin State Legislature and Gov. Tony Evers, to address Wisconsin’s water challenges and support education and training for students interested in water-related careers.
Click here for more information on the latest grant-funded projects.
Click here for more information on The Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin.
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