View Online Version
Water@UW Issue #268
October 30, 2025

Tap-In: Water@UW-Madison News


Affiliate Research Highlight: New study shows Americans searching for ways to reduce PFAS exposure through drinking water
“People are interested in actionable information that they can implement when it comes to PFAS in their drinking water, and they are less interested in the science of PFAS” -Lyn van Swol, Professor, Communication Arts and Principal Investigator
The PFAS research team: Lyn van Swol, Bret Shaw, Cristina Carvajal, Gavin Dehnert. Image credit: Hannah Hein of University of Wisconsin–Madison
Our research examines messages about PFAS in drinking water in three studies. First, our research on people’s online search-behavior related to PFAS information reinforces the importance of actionable content. We found that people search online for solutions (“how to remove PFAS”) more than scientific background information (“what is PFAS”). Yet a content analysis of the top search engine results on Google about PFAS in drinking water found that most sites offer little guidance on filtration and ways to reduce PFAS exposure and rely on highly technical language (Hutchins et al., 2024). This mismatch - high public demand for actionable information versus low online supply - suggests that elevating efficacy cues may be pivotal in messaging about PFAS. This was reinforced in an online survey study in which messages of using pitcher filters to remove PFAS from drinking water were varied on message efficacy and message threat factors. High efficacy information (ease and effectiveness of using water pitcher filters) influenced behavioral intention more than threat in the message, although participants viewed the issue as more important with higher threat. Finally, a study varied the frame of different messages on social media with both message wording and images. Of the four frames (science, technology, risk, and efficacy), social media users had highest engagement with the efficacy frame.

The grant team is comprised of Professor Lyn van Swol from the Department of Communication Arts, Professor Bret Shaw with the Department of Life Sciences Communication, emerging contaminant scientist Gavin Dehnert with Wisconsin Sea Grant, and Cristina Carvajal of Wisconsin Eco-Latinos. Funding is from Indiana/Illinois Sea Grant. 
Are you interested in sharing a lab, student or faculty highlight with those in our network? If so email water@mailplus.wisc.edu with a brief narrative, quote, and a photo or two!

Upcoming Events
FRIDAY 10/31
Water@UW: Flow Project Applications Due
Support for creatives to work in collaboration with a water professional to create art inspired by water research. $300-500 provided to offset artists' purchase of supplies and travel to the spring exhibition. Now accepting applications from creatives UW system-wide. Also accepting applications from water professionals and researchers interested in collaborating with undergraduate artists (no compensation provided). Applications due Oct. 31.
TUESDAY 11/4
Water@UW: Fall Art & Science Poster Session
Nov. 4; 4-6pm; Wisconsin Institute of Discovery. Present a poster, work of art or interactive display (other ideas welcome too). You are warmly invited to repurpose work or display something we’ve seen before – the purpose of the event is learning, networking, and spending time together as a community – so please, join us! Register Here
CPEP seminar: Sources of Predictability for Subseasonal Precipitation in South America
Join us for this weeks CPEP seminar given by Kathy Pegion, Associate Professor in the School of Meteorology at the University of Oklahoma. 12:00 - 1:00pm; RM 823 Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences. Livestream
WEDNESDAY 11/5
Limnology Seminar: Peter Raymond, Yale School of the Environment
Join us for this weeks Limnology Seminar given by Peter Raymond Professor of Biogeochemistry from Yale School of the Environment. 12:05-12:55pm; Water Science Engineering Lab and Online. Zoom Link
THURSDAY 11/6
Wisconsin Sea Grant Students Ask Scientists: Should I Stay, or Should I Go: Tracking partial migration frequency of yellow perch (Perca flavscens)
Studying fish comes with many challenges, and one of the biggest is that they are constantly on the move. Because of this, tracking fish has become a major focus in aquatic science in recent years. With tools like acoustic telemetry, scientists can now monitor fish movement at both fine and large spatial scales. Much like how cell towers use signals to track phones, a network of receivers can record the movements of individual fish over time. We use this technology to study yellow perch in Lake Michigan, a species that is important to both the ecosystem and local fisheries. Join Anna Hill, a master’s degree student at Purdue University, for an overview of her work tracking fish. Target audience: Middle school students and up and their educators. 11:00AM – 12:00PM. Register for Zoom-based webinar event

Opportunities
Highlighted deadlines occur prior to our next newsletter.
★ next to opportunities are new this week!
Click on blue text for more information.
JOBS
Check the Wisconsin Wetlands Job Board and WiscJobs for more opportunities.
Managing Editor - Ecosystems Journal 
Ecosystems Journal seek an experienced individual in the Madison, WI, area to oversee the daily editorial and workflow operations for the peer-reviewed journal, ECOSYSTEMS. The journal has been published since 1998 under the leadership of co-editors in chief Drs. Monica G. Turner and Stephen R. Carpenter and supported by an outstanding editorial board. ECOSYSTEMS is part of the SpringerNature portfolio of journals and is a respected outlet for articles in terrestrial, inland water and ocean ecosystem science. We seek an enthusiastic and self-motivated team member who enjoys the process of science publishing. The ideal candidate will have an understanding of the scientific publishing process, exceptional organizational and time management skills, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to communicate professionally with authors, reviewers, subject editors and the coeditors in chief. Applicants should email a single PDF with Managing Editor in the subject line to Dr. Monica Turner (turnermg@wisc.edu) that includes a cover letter summarizing your interest in and experience relevant to the position; your resume or CV; and the names and contact information for three professional references. Accepting applications now; position will remain open until filled. 
Wetland Monitoring Crew Lead - Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
this position exists to perform plant, water chemistry, soil, and macroinvertebrate monitoring of wetlands across Minnesota as a crew lead in the MPCA Biological Monitoring Program. This wetland monitoring data defines wetland condition quality across Minnesota for use in analysis, permitting, and reporting efforts. The incumbent is responsible for leading monitoring crews in accurate identification of all plants present in Minnesota’s wetland environment. Planning and coordination of MPCA’s wetland monitoring program work is necessary to meet monitoring goals. Applications due Nov. 4.
Assistant Professor of Aquatic Ecology (RISE EARTH) - UW-Madison
The Departments of Integrative Biology and Botany are seeking candidates for a tenure-track faculty position in Aquatic Ecology to join the research group at the Center for Limnology. We especially encourage candidates with expertise in fish and fisheries ecology. Other areas of interest include quantitative ecology, aquatic conservation, aquatic community and ecosystem ecology, aquatic food webs, and limnology. Our goal is to hire an outstanding and interactive scholar with broad research interests and promise for intellectual growth. Applications due Nov. 21.
Regional Biologist I – Ducks Unlimited
Ducks Unlimited, Inc., the world’s leading wetland and waterfowl conservation organization, seeks a highly motivated biologist to join our Great Lakes Initiative Team. As a Regional Biologist I, you will work with a team of biologists, engineers, and land protection professionals to identify, develop, fund and implement coastal and inland wetland restoration, enhancement and protection projects in Northeast Wisconsin to support DU’s waterfowl and wetlands conservation mission. Applications due Nov. 30.
INTERNSHIPS/FELLOWSHIPS/RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES
LTER Base Crew: Southern Lakes
Join the Center for Limnology’s North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research (NTL LTER) team as a Base Crew member! Get hands-on experience in freshwater ecology—work outdoors, gain lab and field skills, and contribute to a nationally recognized research initiative. No prior experience needed. Applications due Nov 1.
MS call, Water Resource Benefits of Regenerative Ag Practices
The student will work collaboratively with Dr. Kevin Wagner and other faculty on a USDA funded project to evaluate the impact of regenerative agricultural practices including cover cropping, crop rotation, no-tillage, and prescriptive grazing on soil, water, crop yields, greenhouse gases, carbon sequestration, and economics. Our goal is to intensify agricultural production while simultaneously maximizing ecosystem. Reach out to Water@UW-Madison for the full call. Respond by sending a cover letter describing research interests and experience, resume or CV, academic writing sample, and the names and contacts for three references to Dr. Kevin Wagner, kevin.wagner@okstate.edu Applications due Nov 15.
MS or PhD support for a thesis on wild, stream-dwelling Brook and Brown Trout
Finnancial support to UW-Madison graduate students to do master’s or doctoral thesis research on wild, stream-dwelling Brook Trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) or Brown Trout (Salmo trutta), specifically on individual or group behavior in use of natural habitat structure and the processes that form, alter, or destroy it. In all cases, the research must record and interpret data on habitat use by trout. Submit the following in a single email to Tara Mohan, temohan@wisc.edu: 1.Description of the research, highlighting how it fits the eligibility criteria (1,000 words maximum, not including references/citations), 2.Current resume/CV, 3. Letter of recommendation from UW-Madison faculty advisor. Applications due Dec. 1
Check the Freshwater Collaborative's Research Positions and Internships page for more opportunities.
FUNDING
Water Research Foundation: Research Priority Program
The Research Priority Program is the cornerstone of WRF's research efforts. This competitive program enables WRF to strategically address broadly relevant water sector issues, challenges, and opportunities. See each funding opportunity for details. Ranges from $150,000 - $400,000, requires cost share. Applications due Nov. 20.
Wisconsin Coastal Management Grants
WCMP Grants are available for coastal wetland protection and habitat restoration, nonpoint source pollution control, coastal resource and community planning, Great Lakes education, public access and historic preservation. We anticipate awarding up to $1.3M. Applications due Nov. 3.
Great Lakes Protection Fund
We are interested in innovative, ambitious pitches to improve the Great Lakes Ecosystem. GLPF takes a basin-wide view and has decades of experience creating change. Give us a call! Early conversations help us understand your vision for making a transformational impact on the Great Lakes ecosystem. To start, take a look at our list of strategic priorities and read our funding guidelines. They describe what we’re looking for and what we fund. But remember, we’re open to discussing any project with the potential to transform the Great Lakes for the better.
Check the Sustainability Research Hub's curated list of funding opportunities related to environmental sustainability.
CONFERENCES
North American Invasive Species Management Association 2025 Annual Conference
Nov. 3-6. Stateline, NV.  At the 2025 NAISMA Annual Conference, invasive species professionals from across North America will gather in Lake Tahoe, NV, to share breakthroughs, celebrate success stories, and shape the future of invasive species management. Register here.
RISE Summit
Nov 17; 10am - 2pm. Join us for the second-annual Wisconsin RISE Initiative summit to learn more about the initiative’s progress over the past year and what’s to come in the months ahead. The event will include a plenary session featuring campus leaders followed by breakout sessions on each of the initiative’s three focus areas. The plenary session will include an opportunity for a brief Q&A with campus leadership. If you would like to submit a question for consideration, please submit via this form. We will address as many questions as we are able in the time allotted. Register here.
American Geophysical Union Conference
Dec. 15-19. New Orleans, LA. AGU25: Where Science Connects us. Connections. They link us together. Make us stronger. Help us grow. Give us hope. Move us forward. The Earth and space science community is all about connection. A vibrant hive of research, discovery, action, and solution. Connections twist and move. They pivot unpredictably. They can challenge us, surprise us, and sometimes delight us. From the lab to the field to the ballot box, science depends on connection. At AGU25 we celebrate all the ways we connect. The purpose of what we connect. The power of how we connect. The promise of where we connect. Early registration closes Nov. 6.
Ocean Sciences Meeting
Feb 22-27. Glasgow, Scotland. The Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) is the flagship conference for the ocean sciences and the larger ocean-connected community. At OSM, attendees from across the globe come together to advance global science, discover the latest research findings, and connect with peers, leading experts, and organizations committed to ocean sustainability.
2026 Wetland Science Conference
Feb. 24-26. Baraboo, WI; The annual Wetland Science Conference is a program of Wisconsin Wetlands Association. The conference typically runs for 2-3 days and includes a keynote address, topical oral sessions, a poster session, workshops, working groups, a Wednesday evening networking event, and field trips to area wetlands. Scholarship applications due Jan 12, 2026. Call for abstracts through Nov. 15.
2026 Wisconsin Lakes & Rivers Convention
April 15-17. Stevens Point, WI. The 2026 Lakes and Rivers Convention is accepting presentation proposals for its annual conference. This is a student-friendly event! Students are encouraged to present a poster or lightning talk. The event will take place April 15-17 in Stevens Point. Details for submissions are here. 
Emerging Contaminants in the Environment Conference
April 28-29. Champaign, IL and Online. The conference will feature traditional 15-minute presentations and a poster session on the latest in emerging contaminant research, policies, and outreach in the soil, water, and air. In addition, there will be plenty of opportunities for discussion and networking with those interested in all aspects of emerging contaminants in the environment. Registration opens March 2026.
Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography(ASLO) and International Society of Limnology Joint meeting
May 12-16. Montreal, Canada. Aquatic Confluence: Science. People. Knowledge. This congress will stimulate exchange of methodological approaches and learning across scales by bringing together scientists from freshwater and marine realms. The many ways these environments intersect will be a focal point, be it through organismal interactions or processes of stratification that underpin biogeochemical states. Furthermore, we wish to evoke connections among scientists as well as with stakeholders and indigenous knowledge keepers in the spirit of codesign to address society’s greatest issues around aquatic habitats and water resources. Abstracts due & early registration ends Nov. 5
OTHER OPPORTUNITIES
UW-Madison Course Offering: Water and People SOIL SCI/ATM OCN/BSE 132
UW Madison will be offering a course focused on Water and People this summer, that counts towards the new Freshwater and Marine Sciences certificate major. This course is 3 credit hours, online, asynchronous, and held in the 8-week summer session.
Help NALMS Strengthen Outreach in Latin America
NALMS is working to better understand the lake management needs and interests across Latin America. This short survey is part of a broader effort to build stronger, more inclusive relationships between NALMS, CALMS (California Lake Management Society), LAGO (Latin America Global Outreach), and lake-focused organizations throughout the region.Your input will directly inform our outreach strategies and help ensure that NALMS continues to engage diverse voices in meaningful ways.
Open until Nov. 21, 2025
SEMINARS OF INTEREST
Third Coast Water Seminar Series.
Current’s Third Coast Water Seminar Series is back! Relaunching in Fall 2025, the series returns with a sharpened focus on the research, technologies, and policies advancing a circular water economy both in the Great Lakes region, the broader U.S., and globally. First Wednesday of each month.
Center for Limnology (CFL) Seminar
Every Wednesday 12:05 - 12:55 in WSEL 2nd floor West and Zoom
Clean Lakes 101
Educational talk series open to the public. Approximately monthly at the East Side Club, 3:30-5pm.
Climate, People, and the Environment Program (CPEP) Seminar
Every Tuesday from 1-2 pm in AOSS room 823 or livestreamed
EPA Water Research Webinar Series
Click here to receive notifications for upcoming webinars.
ONE NOAA Seminar Series
To subscribe/unsubscribe: Send an email with the word 'subscribe' or 'unsubscribe' in the subject or body to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov
USGS National Water Availability Assessment Seminar Series
Nov. 19; 1-2pm
Wetland Coffee Break
Bring your coffee and learn about wetlands! Sessions are held on Zoom and feature time for audience Q&A. Dates vary.
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Sign up to volunteer with River Alliance.
Help out with office work, events, fieldwork, or a group volunteering event. 
Sign up to volunteer with Clean Lakes Alliance.
We are happy to place volunteers on projects that support our lakes! Opportunities include skilled office and administration assistance, special events, and watershed projects like shoreline restoration or beach clean ups.
OTHER WATER NETWORKS
Wisconsin Sea Grant and Water Resources Institute listserv
The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant and Water Resources Institutes routinely share information about state and federal research and fellowship funding opportunities. To subscribe to Sea Grant and the Water Resources Institutes’ RFP listserv, send an email to jennifer.hauxwell@aqua.wisc.edu.
Wisconsin Sea Grant Education Listserv
Wisconsin Sea Grant invites you to join our listserv to receive announcements for professional learning opportunities and resources for teaching Great Lakes literacy to educators, students, youth and families. Send an email to akmoser@aqua.wisc.edu to be added to our list.
Aquatic Sciences Center Chronicle
Center for Limnology Newsletter
Send an email to limnology@mailplus.wisc.edu with subject line: Add to newsletter email list.
Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research
Consortium of Universities for the Advancement of Hydrologic Science, Inc. (CUAHSI)
Subscribe here.
Extension Natural Resources Institute Newsletter
Freshwater Collaborative Water Policy Network
Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin Newsletter
Great Lakes Commission Email Groups
GLIN-Announce; GLIN-Jobs; Great Lakes Daily News; Great Lakes Commission News
Green Bay Conservation
Email gbconservationpartners@gmail.com to join.
Lake Superior Collaborative Newsletter
Subscribe here.
North Central Region Water Network and Newsletter
The North Central Region Water Network is a 12-state extension-led collaboration working to ensure safe and sufficient water supplies across the North Central Region and beyond.
Wisconsin Association for Environmental Education
Water@UW-Madison is a resource for communication, collaboration, and information on water related research, events, and outreach in the UW water community and beyond. 
Learn more at our website: water.wisc.edu
Want to share a water-related shout-out, opportunity, or event?
Send an email with the name, date, time, location, and webpage of the event to water@mailplus.wisc.edu.
Water@UW-Madison
 
 
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN–MADISON
Goodnight Hall  |  1975 Willow Drive  |  Madison, WI 53706
water.wisc.edu
water@mailplus.wisc.edu