Dr. Bryan Porter has been appointed as interim dean of the School of Freshwater Sciences (SFS). Dr. Porter joined UWM in 2025 as dean of the Graduate School, a position he will retain while serving SFS during this transition.
Dr. Porter previously served at Old Dominion University in Virginia as associate dean of the graduate school and professor of psychology. Most of his administrative career has focused on graduate education, from serving as a graduate program director for psychology to his work as associate dean, helping build the graduate school as a separate college launched in 2016.
Dr. Harvey Bootsma will serve as the senior associate dean, overseeing the day-to-day operations of SFS. He currently serves as associate dean and is the Kohler Endowed Chair of Great Lakes Science. Dr. Bootsma joined UWM’s Great Lakes WATER Institute in 1999, a research center that became the School of Freshwater Sciences.
Dr. Rebecca Klaper’s last day was August 31. Dr. Klaper has been an incredible leader in SFS and UWM since she joined the university 23 years ago. She has helped grow SFS into a program recognized nationally and strengthened UWM, and we are grateful for her service.
Dr. Rebecca Klaper decided to retire from UWM effective August 31. She has been named the dean of the University of Delaware’s College of Earth, Ocean & Environment.
Dr. Klaper joined UWM faculty in 2003. Her research has focused on investigating emerging contaminants in freshwater such as pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, and PFAS compounds and how they may impact environmental health. She was a Fulbright Scholar in 2017-2018, has served on National Academy of Sciences panels and is a 2026 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters Fellow.
Named dean of SFS in 2022, Dr. Klaper has helped grow SFS into a nationally recognized program and strengthened UWM’s collaborations with government and national agencies. She has helped secure and steward major research investments. Remarkably, throughout all of her administrative successes, Rebecca has also continued to be an exceptional researcher, colleague and mentor.