Bounded by two Great Lakes and the Mississippi River – with 15,000 or so inland lakes and 44,000 miles of rivers and streams in between – Wisconsin is an ideal place to study freshwater ecosystems.
Freshwater education and research across the state has too often been an independent pursuit. Until now. As part of a state-wide initiative called the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin (FCW), 16 participants (mostly freshman) in the UW System would spend their first semester on campus all taking the same set of three science-based courses organized around this freshwater theme.
The goal is to increase Wisconsin student’s access to learning opportunities across the state and to set
young scientists on freshwater career paths, as well as explore the economic potential of clean, available freshwater for industry and tourism.
All in all, the project is a big win for the state of Wisconsin, its freshwater resources and the future scientists, policymakers and engineers who will make sure that our inland waterways remain an integral part of our lives.
