Tap-In: Water@UW-Madison News

"What are the concerns about data centers becoming more prevalent in the Great Lake States? I would say number 1 is the unknown unknowns fueled by the lack of transparency. And number 2, the stuff we do know about already: this is a historic commitment of energy and water to a single brand new industry." --Prof. Melissa Scanlan, on AI Data Center development

The Water Talk podcast brings together communities to explore water issues, including climate change, scarcity, and access. Listen to episode 71: Water Footprint of AI Data Centers where we have a conversation with Professor Melissa Scanlan (UW–Milwaukee Center for Water Policy and School of Freshwater Sciences) about data center water use, growth, and policy considerations. Available on the web, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Join for a fun and relaxing outing to Henry Vilas Zoo! This is a great chance to meet fellow students, explore the zoo, and enjoy some time outdoors together. The event is completely free, and we'll have snacks available for everyone. We'll meet at the picnic benches just inside the zoo entrance. Please note that this event is weather dependent, so keep an eye out for updates if the forecast changes. We hope to see you there! 1 - 2:30 pm; Henry Vilas Zoo; 702 S Randall Ave, Madison

Join this Freshwater Collaborative webinar with Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and CEO & PI of Great Lakes RENEW, as she introduces this NSF-funded, six-state initiative reshaping the future of water in our region. Great Lakes RENEW is focused on recovering critical minerals, removing harmful contaminants, and securing our region’s freshwater resources to strengthen supply chains, protect public and environmental health, and fuel economic growth. 12 - 1pm; Online. Register here.

Join us for this weeks CPEP seminar given by Jonathan Sullivan, Assistant Professor from the  Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at UW–Madison. 12 - 1pm; 823 Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences and Online. Livestream here.

Limnology Seminar: Winter Mixing, Light attenuation, and Aerosolization in Lakes

Join us to learn about “MakingWaves,” a multi-departmental collaboration funded by WARF.

This innovative effort brings together experts from diverse and traditionally unconnected disciplines to investigate how wave action in lakes influences mixing, ice formation, light attenuation, and the composition of lake spray aerosols. The team’s ultimate goal is to build a more mechanistic understanding of how waves contribute to harmful algal blooms. Presentation by Martina Rogers from Bertram Group and Ben Smith & Sam Salemink-Harry from the UW-Madison Fluid Mechanics in Environmental Processes Group. 12:05-12:55pm; Water Science Engineering Lab and Online. Zoom Link

The exhibition features Professor Sarah FitzSimons's Pacific Quilt. FitzSimons creates sculptural objects which interact with and derive meaning from their surroundings. Though diverse in form and material, much of her creative work explores a merging of interior and exterior spaces—both in physical and psychological terms—and seeks to connect our constructed culture and daily lives with wider patterns and systems in nature. Statement Pieces exhibition is on view through October 18th with gallery hours. 1702 S Park St, Madison; Wednesday through Friday, 12 to 4pm and Saturday, 10am to 4pm.

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.

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.

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.

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

This position will be essential to the completion of National Marine Sanctuary-Count effort around the Great Lakes. The sanctuary locations include the Thunder Bay, Wisconsin Shipwreck Coast, and Lake Ontario national marine sanctuaries. The Field Interviewer will conduct face-to-face interviewers with coastal visitors as they exit recreation sites.  Interviewers will travel to a variety of, general recreation sites. 6.5-month position. Applications due Nov. 1

Are you a STEM grad student or postdoc interested in a career involving teaching or community engagement? Consider applying to be a WISCIENCE Fellow! We offer three immersive, year-long Fellows Programs that equip you to build a career that has a meaningful impact in the classroom or the community. Each program pairs in-depth training in inclusive, evidence-based practices with hands-on experience in a mentored practicum. Apply by Oct. 18

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.

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.

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.

Oct. 14, noon. Join this Freshwater Collaborative webinar with Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current and CEO & PI of Great Lakes RENEW, as she introduces this NSF-funded, six-state initiative reshaping the future of water in our region. Great Lakes RENEW is focused on recovering critical minerals, removing harmful contaminants, and securing our region’s freshwater resources to strengthen supply chains, protect public and environmental health, and fuel economic growth. Register here.

2025 Lake Superior Collaborative Symposium

Oct. 27–29 at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center in Ashland, WI. The theme, “Stronger Together: Linking Land, Water, and People,” will feature presentations, lightning talks, workshops, field trips, and networking opportunities focused on conservation across Wisconsin's Lake Superior Basin. Register here.

Oct. 28-30. Duluth, MN. Our meetings offer an opportunity for Great Lakes stakeholders to convene with colleagues and share perspectives on important Great Lakes issues. Join us as we continue to address issues of common concern, develop shared solutions and collectively advance an agenda to protect and enhance the region’s economic prosperity and environmental health. Registration closes Oct. 20.

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 by Oct. 15.

Nov. 4-7. Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Navigating Change Together: Enhancing Lake, Reservoir, and Watershed Resilience. Registration deadline Oct. 24.

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.

Oct. 30 - Nov. 1. Columbus, OH. The NDiSTEM Conference is the leading multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM event in the country, a true celebration of science, culture, and community that serves, equips, and energizes participants for their academic and professional paths in STEM. Late registration available through Oct 30.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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

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

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.

Every Wednesday 12:05 - 12:55 in WSEL 2nd floor West and Zoom

Educational talk series open to the public. Approximately monthly at the East Side Club, 3:30-5pm.

Every Tuesday from 1-2 pm in AOSS room 823 or livestreamed

Click here to receive notifications for upcoming webinars.

To subscribe/unsubscribe: Send an email with the word 'subscribe' or 'unsubscribe' in the subject or body to OneNOAAscienceseminars-request@list.woc.noaa.gov

Sept. 24, Oct. 22 and Nov. 19; 1-2pm

Bring your coffee and learn about wetlands! Sessions are held on Zoom and feature time for audience Q&A. Dates vary.

Help out with office work, events, fieldwork, or a group volunteering event. 

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.

Subscribe here.

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