Are you ready to dive into an unforgettable summer experience? The School of Freshwater Sciences at UWM offers a unique lineup of courses designed for undergraduate students eager to explore the world of weather and freshwater science. These courses will help you build valuable skills and make meaningful connections in a rapidly growing field. Whether you’re passionate about weather phenomena, exploring Lake Michigan, or learning about the important of fresh water, there’s something for you.
Click below to learn more about each course and start planning your summer adventure today!
Enrollment opens on March 30, 2026
FRSHWTR 101, 3 credits
Course runs June 15 – July 27, MTWR 9:00am-10:40am
Instructor: Samir Qureshi
Course description:
The most important natural resource on Earth is freshwater. This course will address the importance of water in biological, ecological, physical, climate and economic systems, and the consequences of distributing the natural water cycle.
This course meets the NS General Education Requirement and is open to high school students enrolled in the Early College Credit Program.
Course format:
This is an in-person course.
Enrolling: Students interested in this course can enroll via PAWS. Students not enrolled at UW-Milwaukee must enroll as a guest student first.
Expedition to Great Lake Michigan (FRSHWTR 300, section 102), 1 credits
Course runs June 1-5, 2026 – 8am-5pm
Instructors: Cpt. Maxwell Morgan, Dr. Ben Peterson
Course description:
Learn the fundamentals of working on a Great Lakes vessel and operating Great Lakes research equipment. This course provides a broad range of training ranging from line handling and winch operation to the deployment of water quality instruments. Gain hands-on experience while aboard the R/V Neeskay and earn a Marine Technician micro-credential certificate while also exploring the ecology of Lake Michigan. This course meets the requirements for the Deck Operations Certificate through the Marine Technology Society. Upon demonstrating your competency, you will be awarded a digital badge that demonstrates your skill set to employers. Badges are a transferable symbol used to verify the attainment of specific competencies and can be added to resumes, LinkedIn profiles, and other social media platforms as instant recognition of your personal skill set. Students interested in this certificate should notify the School’s Head of Academic Services, Mallory Kaul (malkaul@uwm.edu).
What’s Included:
Lunch will be provided; lodging can be coordinated on an as-needed basis for students enrolling outside the Greater Milwaukee area. Students requiring lodging should contact Mallory Kaul (malkaul@uwm.edu) prior to enrolling.
Prerequisites:
You’ll need to have completed courses equivalent to UWM’s BIO SCI 150 (Foundations of Biological Science I) and CHEM 100 (Chemical Science). Please contact Mallory Kaul at malkaul@uwm.edu for permission to enroll if you do not meet the posted prerequisites. Exceptions will be approved.
Enrolling:
This course is open to undergraduate students from any accredited college or university. There is a limited number of 10 seats available.
Questions? Contact Mallory Kaul at malkaul@uwm.edu.
ATM SCI 109, 3 credits
Course runes June 15 – July 25
Instructor: George Duffy
Course description:
The phenomenology and dynamics of exciting severe weather phenomena, including tornados and hurricanes, is addressed in this introductory level course. It is a one-term course for interested students including business, engineering, life and social sciences, and liberal arts majors, as well as prospective elementary school teachers. The course provides a brief introduction to the composition, structure, energetics, and circulation of the atmosphere, as well as to the analysis of weather systems. This is followed by an in-depth examination into the physical principles and phenomenology of severe weather events. The course introduces the scientific method and emphasizes the importance of meteorology in the modern world.
This course meets the NS General Education Requirement and is open to high school students enrolled in the Early College Credit Program.
Course format:
This course is delivered fully online, and will not have a designated virtual meeting time; computer & internet access required.
Enrolling:
Students interested in this course can enroll via PAWS. Students not enrolled at UW-Milwaukee must enroll as a guest student first.