Philanthropist and environmentalist Lynde B. Uihlein has announced a $10 million\u00a0gift\u00a0to the UWM Foundation that will\u00a0benefit\u00a0the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee\u2019s\u00a0freshwater sciences research and education mission.<\/p>\n
The endowment, among the largest received in UWM\u2019s history, will\u00a0bolster the\u00a0School of Freshwater Sciences\u00a0and\u00a0its Center for Water Policy. It will also provide operating funds for the school\u2019s research vessels,\u00a0the\u00a0R\/V\u00a0Neeskay\u00a0and the forthcoming\u00a0R\/V\u00a0Maggi Sue.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u00a0are incredibly humbled and grateful for Lynde\u00a0B.\u00a0Uihlein\u2019s transformative\u00a0commitment to UWM\u2019s mission,\u201d\u00a0said\u00a0UWM Chancellor Thomas Gibson. \u201cThis is an extraordinary endorsement of\u00a0UWM\u2019s\u00a0crucial work toward preserving our freshwater ecosystems and preparing the next generation of\u00a0water professionals and leaders\u00a0to protect these precious resources.\u201d<\/p>\n
Endowments are powerful tools because they last in perpetuity, so they provide an immediate and permanent source of funding, which benefits long-term planning. Uihlein is an alumna and stalwart supporter of UWM, and this extraordinary generosity will benefit the school and its students, faculty and researchers for years and decades to come.<\/p>\n
\u201cUWM\u2019s freshwater researchers\u00a0are\u00a0such an important safeguard for our Great Lakes, which\u00a0provide\u00a0irreplaceable resources for nature and humanity alike,\u201d Uihlein said. \u201cThey provide drinking water for our children, jobs for\u00a0the regional\u00a0economy,\u00a0recreation for our communities,\u00a0habitat for wildlife and\u00a0marine\u00a0life, and so much more.\u00a0They are an essential part of our cultural heritage.\u00a0We must do all we can to protect and understand them, and there is no place better to invest in this cause than UWM and\u00a0the\u00a0School of Freshwater Sciences.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of the $10 million, $4 million will\u00a0support\u00a0the core mission of the\u00a0school.\u00a0These flexible funds\u00a0will be used to underwrite\u00a0many areas, including\u00a0research operations, faculty and research staff,\u00a0equipment\u00a0in laboratories,\u00a0advising and mentorship, community outreach,\u00a0and\u00a0scholarships\u00a0and\u00a0fellowships for students.<\/p>\n
Another $4 million will\u00a0continue funding the\u00a0Center for Water Policy,\u00a0which brings together teams\u00a0of experts from multiple disciplines. This allows, for example,\u00a0people\u00a0in\u00a0environmental\u00a0law and economics\u00a0to\u00a0work closely with research scientists to\u00a0develop science-based water policy solutions\u00a0to local,\u00a0regional\u00a0and global water issues.<\/p>\n
The final $2 million will be used for\u00a0year-round\u00a0maintenance and operation of UWM\u2019s freshwater research vessels.\u00a0Upon construction, the\u00a0R\/V\u00a0Maggi Sue\u00a0will\u00a0be\u00a0the most technologically advanced research vessel ever designed for the Great Lakes, capable of long-range missions and\u00a0cutting-edge\u00a0research.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s impossible to overstate just how important this investment is for our students, faculty, staff and work in so many areas,\u201d School of Freshwater Sciences Dean Rebecca\u00a0Klaper\u00a0said. \u201cIt will resonate in the discoveries we make,\u00a0the management\u00a0solutions\u00a0we provide,\u00a0the future leaders and educators we teach, and the countless people who rely on our Great Lakes in their daily lives, now and into the future. For that and so much more, we\u00a0can\u2019t\u00a0thank\u00a0Lynde B. Uihlein\u00a0enough.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Philanthropist and environmentalist Lynde B. Uihlein has announced a $10 million\u00a0gift\u00a0to the UWM Foundation that will\u00a0benefit\u00a0the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee\u2019s\u00a0freshwater sciences research and education mission. The endowment, among the largest received in UWM\u2019s history, will\u00a0bolster the\u00a0School of Freshwater Sciences\u00a0and\u00a0its Center for Water Policy. It will also provide operating funds for the school\u2019s research vessels,\u00a0the\u00a0R\/V\u00a0Neeskay\u00a0and the forthcoming\u00a0R\/V\u00a0Maggi […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39392,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[202],"tags":[],"section":[],"display_categories":[],"related-coverage":[],"uwmnews-feed":[],"class_list":["post-156403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-releases"],"uwm_unpublish_requested":false,"yoast_head":"\n