Student and Alumni Stories

Science is anything but a solitary endeavor. Addressing complex environmental issues requires an interdisciplinary approach, as students who took the spring “Freshwater Practicum” at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee learned.   The course simulated what it is like to work for a water consulting firm and brought together graduate students specializing in water science, atmospheric and climate … Read more

Laguna Bacalar, Mexico’s second largest natural lake, is one of the most unique freshwater lakes on Earth. Part of an important ecological corridor, ranging from tropical forest to the Caribbean Sea, it is also threatened by economic development. Last spring, six students from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and one from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater found … Read more

Joshua Swigart, a former environmental consultant for the oil industry, is now a PhD candidate at the School of Freshwater Sciences. Working with Laodong Guo and Marcia Silva, he is furthering his research into developing equipment that would decontaminate water produced from oilfield wells and allow the extraction of lithium, which is used in batteries … Read more

“I’ve always been the bug girl,” says Amy Ressel. As a kid, Ressel wanted microscopes and bug boxes for Christmas. After high school, she served in the Air Force and then worked as a maintenance mechanic at Mitchell International Airport. Amy Ressel, UWM undergraduate, is researching diatoms at the School of Freshwater Sciences. Now a … Read more

When Adam Mahsem enrolled in the School of Freshwater Sciences new bachelor’s degree program in fall 2021, he was focused on getting involved and learning skills that would land him a good job. Mahsem had been in the workforce — primarily the service industry — since graduating from high school in 2007. When his first … Read more

Last October, Max Morgan landed his dream job: captain of the Neeskay, the UWM School of Freshwater Sciences’ research vessel. Here’s what the SFS alum has to say about how he’s combined his passions for boating and science into the job he’s always wanted. What was your path to working at the School of Freshwater … Read more

What’s one of the most rewarding parts about working in water science? You can make a difference in a multitude of ways. “One of the reasons I wanted to go into science is that I wanted to have a positive impact on the world,” says Katie Schulz, who earned her master’s degree from UWM’s School … Read more

School of Freshwater Sciences students got hands-on experience through a variety of internships in summer and fall of 2021. Here’s what a few of them had to say about their experiences. Lee DuBois Location: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources in Hayward, WI and Milwaukee, WIPosition: Fisheries Technician “I spent a lot of time out in … Read more

One of Lexi Passante’s goals as a UWM School of Freshwater Sciences’ graduate student is to improve her science communication skills so that she can easily explain her research and inspire others who are interested in science careers. She recently received a 2021 CIGLR ECO Award from the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research (CIGLR), … Read more

Tyler Kunze never anticipated a career as a water scientist. Yet in May, he became the first student to earn a bachelor’s degree in water science from UW-Green Bay. He’s now a graduate student in UW-Milwaukee’s School of Freshwater Sciences. “It’s been a long and winding road getting here,” says Kunze, who grew up on … Read more