We encourage students at all levels to get hands-on research experience through coursework, internships or working in a lab.
Many of our faculty employ undergraduate students through the UWM Office of Undergraduate Research.
Students in the MS Thesis and PhD programs for freshwater sciences must be accepted by a faculty member who will serve as the major professor and be primarily responsible for matriculation. We strongly encourage you to reach out to the faculty member whose research is of greatest interest to you. A short e-mail to introduce yourself and let us know that you are interested is a great starting point.
Current Opportunities
Gerig Lab
- PI: Dr. Brandon Gerig (UWM Webpage; Google Scholar Page)
- Project Description: The newly-established Gerig Lab at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences will be recruiting 1-2 graduate students beginning in the Summer 2025. Gerig’s previous work has focused on tributary-lake linkages, invasive species, and food web interactions in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Prospective students will work with Dr. Gerig to define thesis projects. Thesis topics may include the movement ecology of fish, influence of dam removal on fish passage, invasive species impacts on native fish fauna, or environmental drivers of fish recruitment. The geographical scope of research will be focused on the Milwaukee River, Milwaukee River Estuary, and Lake Michigan. The School of Freshwater Sciences boasts excellent resources, including field equipment, analytical labs, and various research vessels.
- Scope of Funding: Two years of tuition and RA support are guaranteed for each position.
- Start Date: Summer 2025
- Contact Instructions: Interested students should email gerig@uwm.edu to initiate a conversation.
Peterson Lab
- PI: Dr. Ben Peterson (UWM Webpage; Google Scholar Page)
- Project Description: The Peterson Lab is seeking a highly motivated student to lead an interdisciplinary project investigating the formation of methylmercury, a highly toxic contaminant, in the Great Lakes. The project will focus on two key areas: (1) the formation of methylmercury in oxygenated surface waters and (2) the influence of invasive species on mercury methylation and uptake into the benthic food web. This research will contribute to understanding the biogeochemical processes driving methylmercury production and inform strategies for mitigating its impacts on aquatic ecosystems and human health. The successful candidate will conduct interdisciplinary research at the cutting edge of microbial ecology and contaminant biogeochemistry, requiring a strong interest in both fields. This research will involve intensive fieldwork on research vessels, mercury speciation analyses, design and execution of microcosm experiments, and advanced microbial bioinformatics methods. The candidate should possess a solid background in chemistry, microbiology, limnology, or environmental science, and be enthusiastic about working collaboratively in an interdisciplinary and diverse team. Strong organizational skills and a commitment to responsible and ethical environmental research are also essential. The successful candidate will have many opportunities for career development, including contributing to grant proposals, writing fellowship applications, preparing manuscripts for publication, attending conferences, and mentoring undergraduate students. The project will involve close collaboration with scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and Environmental Protection Agency. The Peterson Lab believes that diversity contributes to a more innovative and productive research community. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive research environment and encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability status, or socioeconomic background.
- Scope of Funding: The position offers at least four years of guaranteed funding for a Ph.D. student.
- Start Date: Fall 2025
- Contact Instructions: Interested applicants should send their CV and a brief statement outlining their research interests and how they align with the lab’s objectives to Dr. Peterson at petersob@uwm.edu.
Water Policy and Science Communications Graduate Fellow
- PI: Melissa Scanlan, Director of the Center for Water Policy (UWM Webpage; Google Scholar Page)
- Project Description: The Center for Water Policy is seeking candidates for a two-year funded Water Policy and Science Communications Graduate Student Research Fellowship, while earning a master’s degree from the School of Freshwater Sciences at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. The successful candidate will have a bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, political science, public policy, economics, environmental science, engineering, or a related field. Candidates should be interested in conducting graduate research toward a thesis focused on water policy and science communications as well as publishing papers in scientific journals, writing policy briefs, and communicating research results to broader audiences. The Fellowship represents a unique opportunity for a student who wants to explore the intersection between water policy, science, and communications.
- Scope of Funding: This fellowship offer two years of support, including competitive pay ($21,848/academic year), health insurance, graduate tuition waiver, and the possibility of summer student hourly work.
- Start Date: Fall 2025
- Contact Instructions: Please email Cora Sutherland at sutherla@uwm.edu with questions or your interest in applying to the Fellowship and the graduate program. Please send a resume/CV (1-2 pages) and a letter of interest in this position (1 page).
Additional Opportunities
Faculty members may have upcoming funding opportunities that have not been posted yet. Please reach out to them individually to learn more.
Human and Ecosystem Health Researchers
Freshwater System Dynamics Researchers